The Prince
by Aparima
Summary: A take on what happened after the end of the game, focusing on the Red Prince and the lizard lore. Take back an Empire, unite Rivellon against the Godking, and decipher mysteries and secrets from a faraway past : easier said than done.
1. We need to talk about Sadha

« We need to talk about Sadha. »

Mahalia stopped writing down her journal as soon as the smooth, languish voice came out. She had not heard anything or anyone coming in she always had a tendency to be easily distracted in the past, but she was surprised that anybody was still capable of coming near her so silently.

Even more surprising, she was pretty sure that the voice didn't belong to the Red Prince. Which was unusual, since the name « Sadha » was always on his lips – much to her distress, sometimes.

She got up and turned around to face her visitor, her figure tense and nervous.

« Oh », she said. « You. » She tapped her claws slightly against her desk, thinking about calling out her nearby friends. She was pretty sure Ifan could be here in a second if she called him. Lohse could easily teleport the intruder out of the room if necessary and the Red Prince would probably be glad to engage him in a fight.

While she was figuring her options, her visitor smiled eerily to her, moving smoothly around the room. His black, lithe figure seemed to merge with the darkness, and it was plain to see how easily he could slip into the shadows, whom he bore the name. He was a bit smaller than she– but then, so was nearly everyone, since female lizards naturally had a gracious and tall figure- but he had a natural air of confidence and intelligence. Like most scale-brothers, he talked with polite contempt, and a note of condescendance.

« Do not worry, my dear. » He inclined gracefully his head, not breaking eye-contact. « I do not plan to attack you or any of your friends tonight. But I have to talk to you, Godwoken. May I ? » He pointed at one of the sofa in her room.

« Haven't we talked already, Prince of Shadows? » she replied, ignoring his polite gesture. He sat nonetheless on the sofa. She moved forward, scanning the room for any traces of assassins. « On the Nameless Isle . Such a delightful encounter. Weren't you supposed to be back at the Empire by now ? Surely our people need you there.»

« Not anymore. My priorities lie elsewhere nowadays. » He smiled pleasantly, unphased by her irony. « Such an interesting turn of events, seeing you and the Red Prince alive. I saw the Isle crumbling in pieces when I left it. Torn apart by an inside and all-consuming fire, that even you couldn't survive. I saw all my problems resolved at once. Or so I thought. Yet, here I find you again, still dancing around the shades of history. Investigating the city, searching for people I took an interest in. Hence, my presence here tonight. » He smiled. « Please, do sit down. No need in scurrying the room. I assure you we are alone. »

Mahalia sighed but complied. She did not believe for a moment that the Prince of Shadow would show up without his assassins around him. That he didn't want to kill her right now didn't mean he would not take advantage of his position later. She thought she had seen the last of him when he left the Nameless Isle. She should have know that they were bound to meet again, in most unpleasant terms. The master of the Shadow House had made it clear that he would kill Sadha and the Red Prince, along with their dragon-child.

« If you say so, Prince, please be my guest », she said, relieving a bottle of wine from the table beetwen them. She opened it as gracefully as she could. « But know that it is highly inappropriate for the House of Shadows to make such a visit to one from the House of Dreams. Wine ? »

« Gladly, thanks. It is indeed unfortunate that our fates have intertwined like this, Godwoken. In normal circumstances, I could not have you know about my existence and live. However, you served me well when you killed the Mother-Tree...it's only natural from a gentleman to return the favor. »

« I served our Empire », she corrected dryly. « Though you may like to think it is one and the same thing, it is not. »

« And you did well. You used to be a dream mystic ? A minor prophet, isn't it ? »

She nodded. No use in trying to hide her meager past. Surely someone like him could know all the secrets he wanted.

« So you're used to serve us. You understand what common good is. You understand that sometimes, for the good of all, some may suffer. »

« I do know what you are so delicately implying, however I am not so delicately inclined to help you in this task. » She paused, looking for a glimpse of annoyance in the face of the black lizard in front of her. Once, a lifetime ago, a Dreamer such as she was would never have thought about speaking like this to anyone. But living amongst ruffians, criminals, outlaws, gods, and so many beings intricated into the balance of power in Rivellon had made her ruthless and disregarding of formalities. The intrigues fatigued her. « I won't turn against him. I won't hurt Sadha, nor their infants. I thought that we already made that clear. »

The Prince of Shadows nodded. « Yes, I knew you'd say this. Such a pity », he said slowly. Was it a threat ? Mahalia tensed, ready to incant. She could probably call her Bone Widow to her in an instant if her 'guest' decided to attack her. Maybe one of his henchman was already besides her, a knife in his hands, walking silently, invisible to her eyes...she began humming lightly, nearly unconsciously, weaving her magic around her to protect her. A cage of bones...a will to live...a bloody touch...there was a lot she could do to defend herself. If only she wore her armor and shield…

But the Prince of Shadow didn't make any signs of attack. He watched her intently, the small and gracious dance of her claws as she thought about her spells. He did not seem much worried. Instead, he sipped silently his glass of wine, slightly amused. « Dear Mahalia, please calm down. I wish no harm to you. Indeed, why would I ? You're the Godwoken of our Goddess. A Dreamer. I assure you I did not lie to you. I am alone here. »

« Then it is I who sould end you now », she said, her voice soft and growling. Such a ben-Mezd thing to do, to growl at an ennemy like that, she thought. Dear, her manners had become terrible these last weeks. Here she was thinking about how to murder quickly her opponent without alerting the rest of the tavern.

«Should you ? »

Their gazes locked. She felt uncomfortable. Why didn't this broke out in a fight ? It seems it was how all her encounters ended. She had killed so many. She had reached so much power. Yet the black colored lizard showed no signs of fright nor offense. He was playing a game he knew well. He did not believe she could truly hurt him. She felt furious for a moment. No one could defy her like that. She was a god to be. She would teach him to fear her.

Yet she was intrigued. This curiosity now held her back. Or maybe she just didn't want to fight ? Was she scared of the outcome ?

« Of course, it would be incredibly rude to threaten a guest in my own home, so to say. » She admitted reluctantly.

« Ruthless and desperate as well, Godwoken. But we can settle this another day. Good taste of wine, by the way. Not bad for a human inn, but so unrefined compared to my own's stock, I'm afraid. »

« I'm sure », she mumbled. « Please excuse my forwardness, but since the matter of Sadha is settled, I don't see why exactly you are still here. »

« I wish to try to convince you to ally with me. » Before she answered, he pressed on : « Think about it, Godwoken. You have the power of our Goddess in you. And from what I see, you already have greatly evolved passed the abilities of our most dangerous brethen. I know about your quests and I have spent time reflecting upon where it will lead you. You and our people. I hate to say it, but I had to admit it : you are the Empire now. You have become more important than any Prince, any Princess. I was wrong to place such an emphasis on the Red Prince before. He is dangerous for our kin. But not as dangerous, nor as wonderful as you are. His arrogance and stupidty blinded me for a time. But you, Mahalia...you could be everything. I could help you rule the Empire. I could help you change the world.»

He stared at her, with such intensity in his eyes that even the Godwoken felt uneasy. She breathed heavily, trying to concentrate. She could see why such a character would take interest in her story. A lizard from the House of Dreams, touched by the Goddess, who escaped death so many times she could not count anymore, and whose only future lied in her inevitable encounter with the Divine. Mahalia and her friends were aware of their roles in the major events that unfolded in Rivellon. However, she had never really taken the time to think about the impact that she could make on the Empire. All those politics seemed so far away. So irrelevant.

The perspective of ruling the Empire crossed her mind. Ifan had convinced her to share the power of the Divine within the people of Rivellon. She had promised to think really hard about it, because she trusted him and she trusted his visions, so different from her own educations. But had she thought about the way such a decision would impact her home country ? And all the countries of Rivellon ? They were on the verge of war. Would the people relinquish their thirst for power and violence if she gave them the power of the Divine and a common ennemy ? Would they follow her ? Could she truly be a ruler ?

What would the great Houses of the Empire have to say about it… ?

The truth was that she didn't know. She did not have any clue. She spent half her life Dreaming for others than her, before the Dream took her. The other half, she had spent travelling with Godwokens. She had no political insight that was a domain she was glad to leave to the Red Prince, or even to Ifan.

Could someone like the Prince of Shadow truly help her ? She did not dislike him, but she did not trust him either. However, it was a serious offer, she could tell. The Prince of Shadow was a legend amongst her kin. A boogeyman to keep your children in the right path. Everybody sort of assumed that the House of Shadows truly existed and that it had a Prince...but no one really talked about it seriously. It seemed foolish to think that someone played with politics and fates like a player of chess. She had shared this thought, too, once. Before meeting the enigmatic ruler of the House of Shadows in the flesh. If she did manage to divide the power of the Divine...if she did manage, somehow, to survive all this...then surely she could need a political ally as powerful as he.

It would be logical. But it displeased her greatly. She didn't want to need anyone. She didn't want to rule anything. She didn't want to face the repercussions of her possible actions. Let the world decide. She wanted to remain free, at least.

« I won't be yours to command, Prince. I won't serve you. » She finally replied.

This time, her words seemed to affect him. He looked at her blankly, struck by her calm affirmation. Some kind of emotion gleamed in his dark eyes. Anger ? Disappointment ?

« Please do not insult your own intelligence with such a careless and emotionnal reply » he answered coldly. « I am sure you see how I can take an interest in you. Your decisions, your victory or your defeat, could change the world for us all. It is my duty to assure that the lizard-kin stays on the top. I can't have you...nor Sadha...nor this damn Red Prince...ruin everything that the Empire have built just to embrace your reckless ambitions or passions. Mahalia, I have come to meet you tonight as a...well, think of me as an advisor for now. I knew I couldn't change your mind about the Red Prince, that your...'affections'...towards him would blind you to the danger he represents, even for yourself. And I promise you that he will betray and hurt you, in time. And I can't allow you to let him live. I won't allow you to lose everything. If you are defeated, what will become of the lizardkin ? And if you are not, then you need me to advise you. You're a fighter, not a political leader. » Now, he seemed furious. « And when I see you, I only see you for what you are : a little Dreamer, still caught up in her restrained education and view of the world. Clearly not one who possess the strenght to bend it to her will. That such a power is in your claws... ! That a nobody like you gets the responsibility of it all… !»

She was speechless. She had not expected such an outburst from him. Well, she had not expected to talk to him again as well. How could a man she didn't even know be so sensitive about her fate ? He made it clear he was only interested in the effects her victory or defeat would have on the Empire, yet she felt confused and frustrated. How did he dare speak to her that way ?

« Are you done here ? » she asked coldly. She had nothing to prove to such a megalomaniac character. Clearly the Prince of Shadows thought too highly of himself and of his tasks in the world. Dumbass male lizards ! Always so fond of themselves ! So damn pretentious ! Why were they all like that ? No wonder she preferred the company of human most of the time. At least they had a sense of humor.

The assassin rose from the chair slowly, keeping his eyes on her. Suddenly he had regained his unreadable composition. « I am », he said. « Think about what I said. »

« Which part ? The one where you ask me to kill my faithful companions, or the part where you insult me, dear « advisor » ? I didn't quite get it through all the condescending nonsense.» She glared acidly at him.

He stiffed. The tension rose in the room. « I see that I have overstated your intelligence. Clearly you lack the faculty of accepting the facts, which are that your « friends » are a threat to the equilibrium of Rivellon and to yourself, and that you have no training whatsoever in the politics and intrigues your fate guide you in. With luck, I have overstated your chance of survival as well. »

She rose up as well to face him. « I could kill you now. »

He laughed. « I could break your neck before you finish talking. »

« Oh, please try. I'd love to see you fail miserably. »

« Even a fool like you could still be of use. »

« If I ever win this war of mine, I will let you and the House of Shadow rot », she smiled sweetly. « For I won't have any use of you. »

He smiled back, confidently. « Oh, I can assure you, you will need me. And I will make you beg, to have you pay such foolishness and arrogance. Now, I do not wish to retain you in your quests. I'll go. »

« Please do so », she replied, hissing between her teeth. The black lizard moved gracefully and quickly to her door. He already seemed to blend in the shadows. For one second, she tought that he could have stayed here in her room, warped in his cloack of shades, and she would not have know it. The thought sent a uneasy shiver down her spine. She would have to upgrade her security here. Maybe keep one of her evocations around ?

« I'm glad we talked. Until we meet again, Godwoken. »

Then there was no one, and she was alone in her room.

Or was she ?

She did not sleep well that night.


	2. I am home again

As the stories of the bards would later tale, the four Godwoken did a great job at butchering the Divine and all hopes of ever having Gods again. On their path to this fateful encounter, they also left quite a mess in the beautiful city of Arx. There were tales of peasants whose bodies had been taken over by terrifying demons from another plane, walking around the city to prey on the feeble-minded. Stories about the treason of the Kemm family, brought to dishonor by the wizard Arhu. Some talked about mysterious weddings and caves, sewers and towers, and how the unlikely group of four adventurers had overcome it all, to finally face and undo Lucian and Dallis.

The stories would stop there, unfortunately, because no one really knew what exactly happened down the Path of Blood. Some speculated that Mahalia, the Sourcerer, had drunk from the blood of Lucian himself before somehow enchanting the world with her Source powers. Some said that down there, there was a rift to other worlds, where creatures roam the space between what would be and what had been. When asked about it, Arhu, the guardian of the Path of Blood, would frown upon such curiosity - or, occasionally, would meow and reclaim some more food, depending on the skin he chose to wear.

However, all stories would agree on one point : Rivellon would never be the same after this fateful day. Whatever happened between the Gods and the Godwoken, whatever epic and terrifying truth was revealed, it had changed the world. People, ordinary people, peasants and nobles alikes, humans, dwarves, elves and lizards, would wake up after this day and feel _something_. It felt like a tickle, but a tickle from the inside. It felt as if there was something more to see and to live for in the world. Something more to grasp at, a power like a Source, asking to be taken. And oh, how people would take it.

The power of the Source was not a malediction anymore, a reason to be cast aside and discriminated, a word to be feared in the dark of the night. Suddenly the Source was opened to everyone, no matter their intentions, good or bad, no matter if they wished for it or not. Suddenly people wanted to control the Source ; because it became one of the best weapons they could use against the invading Voidwoken, led by him whom shall be called the Godking. The bards, from Arx to Aleroth, all sang the same story about the mysterious Godking - (maybe helped in their craft by a mysterious enchantress with flaming hair) : there was a King beyond the realm of the living, whose only wish was to claim the lands for him and his monstrous subjects. The Voidwoken would not stop coming, if no armies rose up to them. Divided, the people of Rivellon would fall.

Fortunately for everyone, the bards, still following the literary and artistic advices of the red-haired lady who paid them very well to share these words and stories, had a solution. Yes, Rivellon will rise up and unite ! Yes, the wars between humans and lizards (or human and elves. Or human and orcs. Or whatever enemy the human decided to wage war against) would be over ; all races will come together, mastering the gift of the Source, and would be their own Gods against the Voidwoken. Such an army could only be led by Heroes, of course, and it so happens that the bards had a few ideas about who should lead the said armies. They talked about a general so brilliant he was the Spouse of the Sun ; surely he could lead a whole Empire to war. They murmured the name of one who would replant the forests of the elves and erased the mistakes of the past ; surely a ranger so kind could convince the elves to fight alongside them. They sung about a lizard lady, blue as the color of the sea, who would come on a magic ship and flying wings, to deliver them from the evil of the world. They sung...

At this point of the letter, Mahalia snarled and stopped reading. Malady, who was quietly steering the Lady Vengeance along the waves, raised an elegant eyebrow. Somehow, the demon-elf-thing - (even though they had become vaguely friends, Mahalia still didn't have any clues about who really was Malady, or, for that matters, _what_ she was exactly either) - was always refined and elegant, even in the middle of a rainy night on the ocean.

" - I hope my dear Lohse isn't in trouble ?" asked Malady, with her usual languid tone. It always seemed like she was granting some favor when she spoke to someone.

"- Not that I can say. As far as I can tell, she's in fact doing a great job preparing Rivellon for the war against the Godking. She wrote me some of the stories she taught her colleagues. They're spreading quite well along the continent. People are desperate for any version of any story that could simplify the complexity of the world right now. "

" - Yes, I suppose waking up with power from the Source and Voidwoken in your backyard make you want to believe in pretty much anything." Malady smiled briefly and added, with pride in her voice :

" - I am so very proud of my little Lohse. Such an ingenious idea to think about manipulating people's mind in all Rivellon with her stories about your adventures. I'm a fan. Exactly what I would have done if I was in your place. If I cared about uniting the people of Rivellon to save them from the Void, of course, which I don't, obviously."

" - Yes, Lohse has come a long way since we first met her", said Mahalia, with a bit of nostalgia. Indeed, her friend had changed a lot over time. She had even overcome the demon that possessed her. But the price for that...Remembering all those candles, all those souls...Mahalia could not have done what Lohse had done that day. So many souls, all wiped out now…

" - Oh, come on. Don't you be all brooding and gloomy, just because you feel the future of the world rest on your shoulders. My dear, you should take a break from saving the world. Visit your family in the countryside and do something fun, for once. By the way, how is your last friend ? You know, the red one, always babbling about taking back his Empire, can't cook his own meal, always wander around the place like it was his own - I never recall his name…"

" - The Red Prince ? He's down in the cabin, I think. Probably taking care of his son. "

" - Oh, yes, that...snaky-like... baby...thing. Anyway, you should go see them, talk to someone who, you know, care about the world. "

" -He's still furious that I chose to remain mortal after he passed up his chance at divinity. And that I gave the powers of the Source to everyone in Rivellon."

" - Well for once, I have to agree with the impatient kid on that. It was a stupid decision."

" - Thanks for your support. That's great."

Malady rolled her eyes. She had been pretty mad when she learned that the one being she had bet upon had failed to uphold her promise and didn't become a God. So unnerving. Why did mortals do that kind of heroic, selfless stuff ? However, she still could have a use for a friend in times of need.

" - What you deserve, sweetheart, is a bottle of wine. Go and brood somewhere else please. I have work to do, if I am to take you all the way to your Empire. Now you go, honey. Hush-hush, and let mommy do the work. Oh, and please leave Lohse's letter around on your way out. I would love to read it. "

Mahalia sighed and left the captain alone on the deck. Malady wasn't wrong : she had mainly been brooding these past few days.

As she descended into the ship to join the Red Prince, who probably occupied Tarquin's cabin since it was the most luxurious place of the Lady Vengeance, Mahalia reflected upon the craziness of the last days. She had changed the world, following Ifan's advices. She didn't know if it was a good idea or the most idiotic one she had ever heard in her life. She still didn't know, even right now. When Ifan was still around, he would smile and say something funny, maybe even be comforting in his strange, rustic ways. He looked up to her, saw in her something she had never seen herself. She felt more calm when he was around. He was always there when you needed him. But he wasn't around anymore.

After what happened in Arx, the four of them had decided they had to do something against the Godking. He wasn't just going to vanish on his own. And they couldn't exit the Cathedral and just disappear, leaving everyone in this mess. It wasn't going to fix itself ; someone had to do it. And right now, they happened to be some of the most influential and powerful figures of Rivellon.

They each planned to go on their ways and to come back to Arx with armies beside them. Lohse took care of the human and dwarven kingdoms ; Ifan decided to join the elves, with the help of Saheila ; the Red Prince had obviously planned to go reclaim his Empire. Mahalia chose to accompany him ; she suspected the Red Prince would not be as welcome in his old home as he hoped to be. After all, Sadha was still not fred from the Godking's grasp and she was still enclosed in the realm of dreams, which diminished greatly his influence in the Forbidden City.

Even though they had fought against the House of Shadows to protect her and her children, it was not enough to free her from her old allegiance. As for the Prince of Shadows, the last thing Mahalia heard him say was something along the lines of "Aaaaargh" when the Red Prince succeeded in separating in a quite definitive way his head from his body.

His death seemed to satisfy her red friend greatly, but she did not truly believed it. It just seemed so simple. As a Dreamer, Mahalia had always been prone to intuitions and premonitions. She was one to listen to superstitions and prophecies. That was why she so easily decided to go alongside the Red Prince when she first met him, even though he had been an insufferable son of a bitch most of the way ; but he was part of a bigger plan. That was why she also agreed to travel with Lohse, a human who shared her mind with a major demon who ruled over millions of soul. It was a feeling, an intuition, something that told her : "this is not how it ends."

She felt the same certainty concerning the House of Shadows. They had inflicted a great blow upon it, surely, but it wasn't over. Even after seeing their leader dead with her own eyes, she still felt that he was here, somewhere. And so, she had to watch over the Red Prince. He tended to lose his objectivity and sense of strategy when he talked about the Forbidden City. Somehow he just believed that showing up after years of exile would suffice for the population to carry him to the throne. But there had been someone else on the throne these last years, and Mahalia wasn't so sure that he would relinquish his place so easily.

Since their exiles, the Red Prince and herself had been kept at bay from any news from the Forbidden City. Sure, they had met other lizards in their travel, but they were mainly travellers, merchants, assassins, other exiled, or Zharat. She didn't like to think about her night with Zharat again. So embarrassing.

" - Ah, my friend. Always a pleasure", said the Red Prince. " Daydreaming again ? You're ruining Tarquin's carpet, you know. But since my son has decided to eat part of it all well, I suppose I cannot hold this lack of manner against you."

She snapped out of her thoughts. She had been walking around the cabin without really noticing it, an habit the Prince was used to by now. She had always been like this ; easily drawn to her own thoughts. Sometimes the thoughts would lead her to a vision. Before she was discovered as a Sourcerer and taken to Fort-Joy, she was paid quite well for her services. She would read the claws of some noble girl enamoured with another House's boy, or watch the stars in the desert's night, trying to decipher some message up there. She used to be a firm believer of Zorl-Stissa, praying for any words from her, sleeping only to dream of her glory. At the memory of this old life, she felt disgust and sadness. Now she had devoured Zorl-Stissa and she didn't believe in the stars anymore.

The Red Prince sat in the luxurious living-room Tarquin had arranged for himself when he travelled with them, where she had been walking around absentmindedly. There even was a fireplace, that the Red Prince kept under his control by simply staring at the flames. The fire seemed to respond to his temper and now the flames were wavering, chaotic, troubled. Enthusiastic, perhaps. Impatient. Such had been the mood of the Prince since they left Arx together for the Empire.

Curled up near the fire was his son. They had took him with Sadha's blessing when they met her in the Dream Kingdom. At first the dragonling had been more of a wyvern-like creature, happy to chase rats in the sewers and sometimes hurl fireballs in the face of their enemies, much to the disgust and scolding of his father. He would say stuff like : "Son, royalty don't eat rats. Leave this rat alone. Leave this...goddamnit, Mahalia, do something !" or : " I'm teaching you how to be a good boy and not put this whole world on fire when you're all grown up, son. So please stop spitting acid at this lady's hair. Good." However he was growing up fast and was not much of an hindrance anymore. The dragonling didn't have a name yet. The Red Prince wanted to get Sadha back before naming their children. The child didn't speak either. Or, at least, it didn't speak like lizards would do.

However, it was an intelligent creature ; his eyes were bright and smart, and Mahalia could feel, when she was around, a kind of presence in her mind. If she focused on it, it was easy to interpret some emotions and intentions ; mostly the dragonling asked for food, like any child of any race. It could recognize friends from foes, and most of the time, it obeyed his father. The dragonling liked Mahalia a lot, but it had not shown much of an interest to anyone else. As far as Mahalia could tell, the child had not much interest in the rest of the world if it wasn't edible or inflammable.

She sat by the fire as well and patted the head of the dragonling. Her formation as an invoker had made her quite good-talented when it came to taking care of strange creatures, and actually she was pretty sure the dragonling liked her more than his own father, mainly because of the unceasing scolding and talk about royalty.

" - Yes. Daydreaming. I'm worried, actually. Thinking about what to do next. Malady says we'll be at the port of Ixxita tomorrow. From there, it's only a two days trip to get to the Forbidden City. I'm trying to get an image of what to expect. "

" - Indeed, worried, I can see that. Anxiety makes for such a rude and boring company. You should do something about it. "

" - Thanks for the help. What would I do without you," she snarled.

" - I suppose you would still be wandering around Fort-Joy asking for directions."

" - Coming from the seagazer reciting poetry at the edge of the ocean and waiting to be assassinated properly, that's low."

He laughed lightly. Their friendship had been a tough one ; the Red Prince had quite a temper and a high self-esteem, which didn't mix well together. Where he had certainties, Mahalia had doubts. They had spent much time bickering and debating upon pretty much any subject. But there was something else to their relationship, aside from the martial benefits they took from it. A kind of feeling of respect, strangely distorted, never really spoken aloud. Most of the important things they thought about each other remained silent, and would remain so forever. There was something, a bond like only the fates could weave ; it was more powerful than friendship, but less potent than love. At best, Mahalia thought of her red counterpart as a kind of brother, you know, the kind that gets on your nerves quickly but somehow he's always there watching your back. At worst, as some sort of malediction the gods brought on her to punish her for killing them. In any case, he had become a great part of her world. Well, he was a living prophecy, and she was a prophet. They were bound to meet and travel together. And now she had to help him gain back the Empire.

" - You've been quite taken up in your thoughts since Ifan left us. " he remarked quietly. " Do you..miss him ?"

The question was carefully asked. The Red Prince was not in the habits of talking about emotions, moreover emotions of other people than himself.

She thought about this. Did she miss Ifan ? Somehow, yes. There was something to this gruffy human. You knew where you stand with him. He was so different from everyone she knew in the Empire before. She had actually preferred the company of human to most of her kin. She wasn't born a noble in the House of Law or War ; her scales were not colored like the red of the sun, nor were they dark as the threatening night. She had been a common lizard in the Empire, where nobility and status were everything. Even her talent as a Dreamer, that she discovered as a child, was not enough remarkable to make her the equal of people like Brahmos. She had mainly see the Empire from the bottom place, having not much more status than the slaves there.

" - Yes" she admitted.

" - I miss Sadha too", he said sadly, gazing at the flames.

They fell silent for a time. The dragonling started snoring lightly.

" - We should get to the port tomorrow. Then we should announce ourselves to the actual Emperor" said the Red Prince. "He's probably waiting for us anyways. I will offer to lead his army against the Voidwoken...which he will have to do, since I'm obviously his best general, and the only one to actually have knowledge of his enemies. We fight them back to the Void and free these lands from the influence of the Godking. Sadha is free ; I marry her officially. We have dragons...and I take the Empire. Then, we rule. Together. You can still be my slave if you change your mind. "

" - Will you stop talking about that ? I am _not_ going to be your slave. Anyway, it all seems very easy when you talk about it."

" - Well, I have a prophecy by my side. And I have been to the end of the world and back with you. What do the others have ?"

" - What if...what if the Prince of Shadows was right ? What if the whole situation just...Degenerate ? What if I made the wrong choice ?"

" - Don't ask yourself that. You did take the wrong choice. It was highly idiotic and idealistic, even for your standards. You definitely should have become a Goddess. That would have been much more easier to me to claim the Empire with the help of the reincarnation of Zorl-Stissa", said the Red Prince sarcastically.

" - Zorl-Stissa tried to eat me."

" - And she would have succeeded, if we had listen to you trying to sacrifice yourself nobly." He paused. " These human really softened you."

" - Softened me ? I kill Gods for breakfast, my humble friend."

" - Yes, yes, yes, I'm sure it seems very interesting to you."

Silence again. She leant back against the wall, watching the flames.

" - Do you have any...dreams, lately ? Of what my glorious future will be, perhaps ?"

" - I don't have them anymore."

" - Oh. Such a pity."

" - I should get to sleep, my friend. See you tomorrow."

" - Rest well. I'll need you sharp by my side." Though the Red Prince tried to conceal it, she could hear his unexpressed pleading. Maybe inside, he was a bit worried too about the future.

"- I'll be there."

He nodded as she left to sleep on her own.

The flames crackled softly, hesitating, before resuming their warrior-like dance.

As Malady predicted, they arrived the next morning.

Mahalia didn't need to be warned. She had felt it. Something stirring inside her, like a long lost promise, waking up suddenly. She was soon going to be home.

Home. Such a strange word. She longed for the sun and the warmth of the Forbidden City, for the gracious hums of the water in its canals, for the music of the sithars and the smell of the drudanae. It was almost physical ; her scales seemed to need the embrace of the desert much more than her own heart.

She got up early to prepare herself. After a short bath, she proceeded to put on her armor and weapons. Most of her equipment were legendary artefacts ; the simple golden chainmail and veiled dress she was wearing costed probably more than what most lizards noble could hope to achieve someday. She kept her shield on her back and her wand on her belt. She never really used the wand ; she preferred slingling spells around, and she had enough memory and creativity to always have one ready to unleash. She carefully put around her head and scales some magical golden jewel and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked like a vestal. She looked confident and enigmatic. Which was exactly what she wanted to look like today.

She got on the deck of the Lady Vengeance, where she was not surprised to find the Red Prince, as well armored as she was, with his son on his shoulder. He greeted her with a brief curtsy and presented his arm to her :

" - We've done it, Mahalia. We're home now. Please, my lady, allow me to show you around my Empire. It will be an honor."

He was beaming with energy and passion. She had only seen him in this kind of state when he met with Sadha. She took his arm without a word, which seemed to content him. The Lady Vengeance entered the harbor of Ixxita. It was the closest harbour city from the capital of the Ancient Empire ; as such, it was an important place for merchants from all Rivellon, though most of them were not allowed to go much further up the Empire. It was a beautiful city ; in the blazing sun, its white walls reflected the light upon the clear blue water. Ships from every size and every design danced softly on the docks. You could feel a sense of agitation in the city : some delegation was already preparing to meet them. The Lady Vengeance was a beautiful ship after all, and an uncommon one ; but the masters among the lizards could recognize the elven magic crackling around the ship.

" - Well, well, well." Malady had suddenly appeared behind them. She raised an eyebrow at the sight of their arms linked together, smiling for herself. "- I've taken you where you need to be now. I think I'm going to take some holidays after all. Will you manage to save the world on your own, my dear ?"

" - We thank your services, but we won't need them anymore", replied the Red Prince smugly.

" - I wasn't talking to you. And keep that thing of yours far away from my hat. It's trying to eat it."

Malady had never been really fond of the Red Prince. The feeling was mutual, as Mahalia could tell from the frown on her friend's face. That was the frown he made when he tried really hard not to kill someone. It happened a lot.

" - We'll be fine, Malady, thank you."

The Captain looked at her and then back to the docks, where the distant figures of some guards got closer and closer.

" - If you ever need me again, take this whistle. Mommy Malady will keep an eye on you. Now, the both of you, I think it's time you meet with your destiny. Have fun."

They took the boat from the ship and maneuvered it to the docks, where a dozen of guards from the House of Law were waiting for them. As they got unto the docks, it seemed like the whole city of Ixxita stopped breathing. The Lady Vengeance gently turned around to face the horizon.

Mahialia looked around her. From every corner, from every ship, there were lizards. She had not seen so many of her kin in the same place for a long time. And they were all staring at the Red Prince and her. It felt...uncomfortable.

The delegation that was sent to meet them seemed uneasy at best. Most of the guards wore quality equipment, but they were definitely no match for the two of them. They both could easily wipe them out if they wished to. And the guards seemed to know that. They had trouble keeping their heads straight and looking at them directly. Except for one of them, who was smoking something and didn't seem to care much about what was going on.

On the docks, everyone had stopped doing whatever they were doing and watched the meeting with what looked like fear and curiosity. It felt like History itself was holding its breath.

Mahalia remembered that the Ancient Empire was called the Ancient Empire for a reason. Nothing really _happened_ in it. Sure, nobles would intrigue between them to get closer to the throne, and sometimes there would be wars, because lizards just loved wars.

But most of the time, nothing _new_ really happened. Lizards were not like dwarves and humans ; they didn't like novelty much. Novelty was vulgar. They took great care to keep their traditions and their luxurious lifestyle intact.

Now, however, all of this was about to change and everyone knew it. The people looked at the Red Prince and his dragon child in awe and fear. Truth be told, he was magnificent compared to most of them, and his charisma was positively buzzing today. It was hard to look away.

Her companion didn't seem to notice all that, and he looked over the guards smugly and with defiance. He was enjoying this moment. The uncertainty in the eyes of the crowd, the scared respect of the soldiers, the silence that suddenly fell on the docks : to him, it was a wonderful feeling. His nostrils flared as he took in a deep breath ; the air was warm, carrying the scents of incense and salt.

" - At least, I am home again", he simply said.

This caused a ripple along the delegation and the crowd. Clearly the guards had no clues how to manage this situation. And clearly, they were all trying very hard not to speak first. Some lizards started whispering amongst themselves.

" - We would like to speak to your captain, guards ", said Mahalia sweetly.

The guards exchanged a brief look of relief. Trying really hard not to give the impression of running away, the circle of the guards slowly took a few steps backs, to expose, left in the center of the attention, a male lizard.

The lizard in question seemed to have seen better days. He wore the insignia of the House of Law upon his battered chest armor. He was very tall for a male, nearly the same height as Mahalia. His figure was athletic and rustic ; he had the demeanor of a soldier, not an aristocrat. His scales were dark green, with a crest upon his head. He was smoking a tobacco cigaret ; but not from a pipe, as it was the custom in the Empire, but from some paper leaves he rolled himself. The thing had a nasty smell about it, and the male smelled too, the odor of soldiers and sweat. He looked at them blankly, showing no signs of being impressed.

" - Red Prince. Dreamer." He stated that without any traces of courtesy. He was just acknowledging the facts. "My name is Vaxx. I am the captain of the guards here." He took a last smoke and then threw his cigaret on the ground, where he quickly smashed it with his worn leather boots. " I have been sent to escort you to our governor Lido for interrogation."

"- Escort us ? For interrogation ?" The Red Prince laughed. " - You ? A soldier ? Surely there has been a mistake. Tell your governor Lido that he's a simpleton and that I am not going to bow before him. I am _the_ general of the House of War, the Red Prince, Spouse of the Sun and Hero of the Prophecy. I have no time for such foolishness."

" - There was no mistake. You're some _exiled_ general from the House of War. The Empire has clear regulations about that. You need to be questioned by the Law."

At that, the soldiers surrounding their captain took another step back, and one of them, who had heard quite a lot of stories about the red general, closed his eyes and started to pray. Even though they were in the warmth of spring, the temperature on the docks seemed to drop suddenly.

Mahalia sensed the arm of the Red Prince tensed. He was probably going to decapitate the impudent guard anytime now.

" - Let me handle this", she whispered to his hear.

" - This is an outrage, an insult", he whispered back, furious. " They should be kneeling before me."

"- Believe me, they will. In time. Let me do my job."

The Red Prince kept his claw upon his sword but nodded to her. The air was crackling with Source and with tension. Mahalia advanced towards the gruffy looking soldier, which caused more embarrassment from the group of guards who tried not to give the impression of stepping back further but kept on clearing the circle around them.

The soldier looked at her as if he was already bored to death.

" - Sorry, M'lady, but the escort is necessary. It's what the Law says about exiles. And under the legal Law of the Empire, you are both exiles. Please try to make your friend listen to reason."

" - I will…" started the Red Prince, probably ready to slaughter him here and now. Mahalia raised her hand :

" - Captain Vaxx, we understand that you are merely following your duties here. It takes great courage from a lizard to obey the Law even in such unconventional situations. Great courage, or great stupidity."

The lizard cleared his throat to add something, but she cut him :

" - We accept your escort."

" - I'm pretty sure we don't", growled the Red Prince from behind her.

" - We _do_."

There was a sense of relief in the docks. People seemed to relax a little. Even the stoic Vaxx seemed glad for a moment.

" - Good. Then I'll have to take you to our governor…"

" - We do", went Mahalia, speaking louder to cover the voice of Vaxx " and we are glad to be accompanied to the siege of the Emperor with you, Captain Vaxx. Thank you very much for offering it."

" - _What ?_ Wait…"

" - _The_ Red Prince has come back from his unjustified exile and will gladly meet the Regent Emperor and the chiefs of the Houses to prepare the Empire for the war to come."

" - We didn't say anything about…" went on Vaxx, but he had no idea how to react to that. The Sourcerer kept on talking, her voice loud and clear for everyone to hear :

" - As a prophet from the House of Dreams, I am so very glad to see that chivalry and respect of the prophecies are still a part of our Empire, as well illustrated by the humble proposition of service and protection your city offers us. Let your governor be rewarded for his help."

" - Lady, I have to stop you right there !" cried Vaxx. " This is not at all…guards..."

" - You're impossible", murmured the Red Prince behind her, sighing softly.

Mahalia smiled beautifully. She was known to have a silver-tongue and a beautiful, honest face, which she had used to her advantages a lot during her adventures. She grasped the Captain's arm before he had time to draw his blade, all the time keeping a good face for the crowd.

She whispered to him :

" - I am saving your ass, idiot. You're no match for him. And you call him _some_ general. He's a fucking Emperor."

" - Shiete. You really speaking like that ? I thought you were another one of those noble morons."

" - Just play along and everything will be fine, and you will still have a city to guard and protect tomorrow. "

The male seemed furious, but he considered briefly the figure of the Red Prince. In the morning sun, his crimson scales shone brightly, but not as brightly as the dragon that was now flying around him. His muscular and aristocratic figure showed no signs of doubts or weaknesses. He smirked at him.

Vaxx reflected quickly upon his sense of honor. After all, the Law asked to escort the exiles back to a person of power who could judge them and eventually condemn them to prison once more. He was indeed following his orders by taking them to the Great Houses in the Forbidden City, wasn't he ? There were people of power there, indeed.

Plus, he'd just love to see the faces of all the nobles there once the damn Red Prince himself would show up to have a long talk with them. Why should the lowborn people pay the price for the nobility ?

Mahalia read all this easily in his eyes and smiled slightly to him, adding : " - We're on the same side here."

" - Really ? The tyrants always say that" replied Vaxx acidly. Mahalia frowned ; she wasn't really expecting the soldier to be so forthright. However, the Captain put on a brave face and added very loudly for everyone to hear :

" - Since the Red Prince and his prophetess have agreed to respect the Law, as the good citizens of the Empire that they are, I gladly will escort them to meet the Great Houses in the Forbidden City, so that their future can be judged by the most proficient families of all. Please, Red Prince, Dreamer, follow me."

Solemnly, the guard tried to form an escort around them, while still trying to be as far as they could from them.

Vaxx exhaled deeply and took the head of the formation, inviting them to follow him.

The Red Prince and Mahalia stepped in languidly. They were clearly the center of the attention here.

" - I still dislike the fact that we're escorted like mere prisoners or diplomatic convoys" he said. " And he called me _some_ general. Inconceivable. I am at least _the_ general. "

"- Well," she replied " you are still legally an exiled general."

" - I am the Emperor !"

" - Not yet. You slept with demons."

" - Point taken. But I will be."

" - We'll get to that part soon enough."

" - Maybe I should kill them all for their lack of courtesy."

" - Is this how you want to rule this place ? "

" - It's better to be feared than be loved. Basic political common sense." But he sounded unconvinced. " Oh, no. Mahalia. Look."

He grasped her arm and with a quick movement of his head pointed her to a direction. In the crowd that was following them, she suddenly saw him.

He was quite easy to spot, since he was the only lizard around here with such black scales. He was sitting on a roof, watching them pass through the city. And he...winked at them ?

" - The Prince of Shadows. He's not dead", she said.

" - Thank you for stating the obvious. May I add that he still has his head attached to his body. He's such an ill-mannered person."

In the movement of the crowd, the apparition disappeared quickly, as if he had never been there.

Mahalia looked at the Red Prince. He tried not to show any signs of discontent to the crowd that was scrutinizing him, but she could see the flickers of anger in his eyes.

"- We'll take care of him" she said.

The Red Prince nodded.

" - Now let's focus on taking back your Empire. "


	3. Plans and dreams

They soon left the harbor, without further ado. The Governor did not make much efforts to make an appearance or protest against the way his escort was being diverted from its original purpose. They walked in silence for a few hours. The path to the Forbidden City, on foot, was difficult ; they had to cross a few rocky formations before the solid ground crumbled to sand, and eventually led to the desert. Even though the lizards were biologically adapted to this climate, it remained quite gruelling to walk under such an unmerciful sun.

The soldiers kept their distance from them but were whispering amongst themselves while looking at the Red Prince. Mahalia had no idea what they were saying to each other, but she could read their faces easily ; the twitch in their eyes, the way they bowed slightly their head in deference ; they acted with the caution of common men around exceptionally dangerous ones. One of them, especially, drew her attention ; a golden-scaled lizard, bright as the sun, a bow around his shoulder. He glanced at them from times to times, looking more curious than impressed.

The Red Prince had spent most of his day looking daggers at Vaxx ; the captain spent his ignoring him. The battle of egos was almost funny to watch ; it was very rare that the Red Prince found a worthy adversary in terms of stubbornness and pride. But, as the day went out and the nearly solid hot atmosphere gave way to the breezes of the night, the escort seemed to relax, reassured that the Prince didn't choose to turn on them. The group started to organize an improvised camp for the night.

Mahalia sat on the ground, weary after this strange day. The dragonling sat by her side as well ; he seems, for one, quite happy with the heat and was snoozing off. The Red Prince was pacing around their bedrolls, unable to find any peace.

Vaxx caught up with them. He was still smoking some horrible scented herb. Mahalia wondered exactly how, every time she looked at him, he managed to have a cigaret by his lips. And it wasn't even drudanae, she thought sadly. She longed for the taste of the drudanae, and for the dreams it brought with it. She had overcome her addiction with difficulty in the past year. She still shivered when she remembered the limp figure of Stingtail in Fort-Joy, lost in his sleep and unable to move or defend himself. If Zorl-Stissa had not chosen her to be a Godwoken, would she have know the same fate ?

Vaxx bowed his head with an annoyed deference, and began to speak :

" - We'll go no further tonight. And now that we're out of the harbor and on our way to the Forbidden City...well. I reflected a bit about what happened today. My guess is that you didn't get much news from the Forbidden City on your travels in the rest of the world. That's why it's called the Forbidden City : it's supposed to be quite secret and reclusive. I mean, it's kinda in the name "

" - Please, get to the point", said the Red Prince with annoyance.

" - Well...the City is nothing alike what you left behind you. Not anymore. A lot changed these last few months. For once, there's some sort of siege going on. It will actually be difficult for us to get you through. "

" - What do you mean, a siege ? And through _what_ ?"

" - Voidwokens." Vaxx's tone sounded sombre. "- Surely you've seen them before ? Being Sourcerers and all. If I am to believe what the bards sing around here, you know them well."

" - We're good acquaintances, yes." nodded Mahalia.

" - I heard they left quite a mess in Arx. Is it true ?"

The Red Prince and Mahalia exchanged a brief glance. Mahalia sighed and started to explain what happened in Arx to the soldier. Vaxx listened attentively. His gaze deepened as she told him about the destruction of the city and the rampages of the Voidwoken there. There were some traces of concern in his eyes.

" - It's quite the same here", he admitted reluctantly. " The Voidwokens appeared in the desert at first, far away from the cities, so the Great Houses didn't think much about it. The Empress…"

" - The _what_ ?" snapped the Red Prince.

" - The Empress Issandra. She took over the throne after your exile, Prince."

Even though they walked all day under the blazing sun in the desert, Mahalia could have sworn the temperature somehow managed to drop to icy. Her friend had stopped in his tracks and there were quite a lot of emotions going through his eyes. He seemed fulminating, but struck and disappointed at the same time. It was plainly horrible to watch ; it was like he was distorting himself. Never had Mahalia seen him in such a dreadful state. He seemed childish at best, far from the self-assured, outstanding aura he usually gave off. Mahalia chose not to interrupt him in whatever thoughts he was having ; she was used to his temper now, and she could bet he was going to snap and use any interventions to release his anger on anybody.

Even Vaxx looked away from The Red Prince, embarrassed by his sudden silence and conflicted turmoil.

The Red Prince glared incredulously at the skies, then back at the captain, then back at the skies, and finally replied, in a low, incredulous voice :

" - That old, vile, decrepit creature took the throne ? From _me_ ? " he said finally. "But _why_ ?"

" - I have a feeling there's a story here" mumbled Mahalia. " Is this Issandra important to you ?"

" - I'm _intimate_ with Issandra, much to my disappointment and dismay. After all, she brought me into this world. You know the story : a red sun rose over the desert for seven day, she decided to gave birth to me...Which is one of her greatest achievements, I daresay, though it had the drawback of having her as a mother, of course. She is not at all the fair, kind and motherly maiden the legend pictures, I'm afraid."

Mahalia gasped stupidly. The Red Prince had a mother ? Come to think of it, it was only natural, of course...but somehow, she had never pictured him surrounded by any family. He looked like one day he just...popped up in the world, already in his adult form.

As if reading her mind, The Prince sighed in annoyance and added stiffly :

" - I have a family here, Mahalia. The _royal family,_ might I add, should you need to be reminded of some of the more basic political facts of our Empire. You will have to meet them, of course. I will arrange it. And we will do something about your terrible etiquette, to avoid any discomfort from both sides. But my birth mother, my dear...believe me, and I do not say it lightly, she is unbearable. Never have I seen such a narcissist, egoistical, power-driven snake before. I never nurtured much love for her, and neither did she for me. To think that she took my legitimate place ! Alas ! The horror ! That the Houses chose her to replace me, this I cannot comprehend."

Vaxx and Mahalia exchanged glances. They cautiously chose not to say anything further about the Red Prince's mother, though they could easily read in these brief glances that they had great doubts that anyone could surpass the Prince in terms of being insufferable. Mahalia took it as a sign of how bad the situation was. She tried to remember what she heard on the streets about the state of the pretenders of the Empire before being sent to Fort Joy.

Politics in the Ancient Empire was a very complicated and intricate game, one she did not quite mastered or cared much about before. Of course, the Empire had to have an Emperor to rule it, it was pretty obvious. What wasn't obvious was the question of whom noble family would be considered royal. There wasn't any real lineages as far as traditions went. There were actually a few families who declared themselves "royalty", on behalf of some famous ancestors. When an Emperor died, the question of the succession was studied by the rulers of the Great Houses, who would determine who, amongst the many pretenders and nobles, was blessed enough to become the new Emperor. All Emperors were born in the House of War ; but all lineages were discussed beforehand by the House of Law, and in the end, it was always the House of Dreams that decided who was fit enough to become the ruler of the Empire. It was quite a mess, when you thought about it, but somehow it worked together. The masters, powerful and wealthy, surely had agreements, deals, and betrayals behind the scene while the population waited to hear who the Houses favored. The Red Prince was one of the few lizards around who every House gathered, before he was exiled for his unholy accointance with demons and Source. The prophecy surrounding his birth and the admiration he sparked around him ever since he was a child had made him a non-discutable ruler, before his fall from grace. But his family surely had reclaimed his position for themselves, which only seemed logical.

" - And she calls herself an "Empress." I bet she plotted against me since my brilliant victory at Quarseth Falls. She must have realised that I was far more better than her in every field". The Red Prince shook his head with discontentment. "Another reason to claim the throne, if only to free the Empire from her old, cold, evil grasp. "

" -Many would consider such talk blasphemous", said Vaxx uncomfortably. He sounded unsure about how to react. "- Issandra is the Servant of Zorl-Stissa. They say that she was touched by the goddess. Many worship her as they once worshipped her son."

This gained him a sideways look from The Red Prince. " - Really ?" he replied mockingly. " I'm not under the impression that you care much about respect and blasphemes. Anyway, Zorl-Stissa is dead. And I've never been much of a religious person myself. I always said that spirituality is the death of the soul."

Vaxx slowed down a little, processing the information. "The Goddess is...I don't follow you."

The Red Prince smirked without adding anything, gloating in the knowledge he didn't wish to share. Feeling complied to give some sort of an explanation, Mahalia continued :

" - It's complicated. You didn't hear about it ?"

" - About Zorl-Stissa being dead ? No, no, can't say I've heard about it." Vaxx replied sarcastically. " Please do not say that in front of my men", he added quickly. "This is highly outrageous."

" - You mean that nobody noticed her death ? Not even the priests ?"

Vaxx looked at her with a mix of incomprehension and awe and shook his head. " - If they did, they did not inform us. The Houses have been quiet lately. They are busy fighting the Voidwokens and resolving internal conflicts."

" - My mother is many things, but she is not stupid" said the Red Prince with contempt in his voice. " - If I know her well, she probably has some _informant_ working for her and she keeps as many secrets as she can. She loves religion. It always gave her an edge on the feeble-minded. That is why I hated it. She surely would have kept our cultists content and not told a word to anyone else. Anyway, soldier, please pursue with your describing of the situation ahead. I need to know how many enemies we're facing here."

" - Yes", added Mahalia, "I'm interested as well."

Vaxx breathed heavily. He took a moment to order his men to put up a campfire, and as the escorts was preparing for the night, the captain went on with his report :

" - As I told you, the Voidwokens first appeared in the deserts. Some soldiers like myself were sent to deal with them, as they would sometimes attack the caravans of our merchants. But the damn things didn't stop coming. Every day. What first seemed like a laughable matter soon became a real hindrance for us. A few weeks ago, they started to regroup around Ysquia, in the north, and they razed it to the ground." Vaxx sighed. " They attacked the Forbidden City then. Until now, they didn't make it very far into its walls, but they're slowly breaching it."

" - Surely you're mistaken. The House of War would have taken care easily of such disorganized creatures. We're not like the human from Arx, divided and disbanded, undisciplined in the face of danger", said the Red Prince, frowning.

" - Well", stated Vaxx. "- You surely have an idealized memory of this place. It has greatly changed since you left."

" - Obviously, and not for the best, as I predicted."

" - I don't know if you can really fix this mess…" murmured Vaxx. He sounded hesitant.

The Red Prince glared at Vaxx, but the soldier continued : " But if there is any chance than you can do something...well...I've been thinking. I'm loyal to the Law and its House. But then, you're the Spouse of lady Sadha, and I'm loyal to Sadha as she is the Princess of Law. And the times are dire. I mean...no offense, but you're an exiled, it is only fair you should be be heard by the Law, that's what the Law is for. But...in the same time...can't say that the Empress Issandra had done fair by us. So...you know…" he twitched uneasily. "And you're, well, still a noble and a legitimate one."

" - I can't believe I'm going to say that, Mahalia, but I fear we've found someone who is worst than you in basic etiquette and courtesy" sighed the Prince.

"- The point is", resumed Vaxx with a light tone of vexation "I'm following you."

" - Good. You're making the right call."

They fell silent for a time as they started to eat their dinner. Mahalia looked up to the skies ; now the night had truly fallen and it was lighted up by brilliant white stars. Some people said that religion was invented in the midst of the dunes of the desert, by a lonely night. It was easy to understand why once you were actually in the desert : there was a sense of utter loneliness and beauty that was difficult to describe, but which hanged around in the air. It was like something was calling to your soul. In this fleeting moment, she could easily believe that the Dreams would come to her again. Surely the Dreams had to come in a place like this, so close to home, so close to the biggest mystery of all : what do the stars see in us ? she reflected.

She could feel a buzzing in the Source. Now that it was linked to the world so closely, she easily perceived any changes of its flows. It was discreet, quite far-away yet. She wondered what it was, what warning did she have.

" - And how's the political situation in the city ?" asked the Red Prince after a long time of silence. He whispered now, quietly laid back. "Surely some families have kept their old allegiance to me. If the situation truly is as dire as you describe with my mother, there must be traitors afoot. What about Sadha's family ? They know I am bonded to her, as she is to me."

Vaxx shook his head. " - The truth is, my Prince, that I do not know much about the political allegiances of who is with who. They're all nobles to me."

" - Meagre brain make for meagre souls, I imagine", pestered the Prince.

The captain frowned, and added smugly : " - Although, I happen to have someone who could help you out with that."

"- Really ?"

"- Oh, yes. A young soldier by my command, versed in the arts of the spies of War. Lieutenant !" he called. There was a bit of a fuss as the soldiers tensed again, but one figure detached itself from the group and quickly joined them.

It was the golden-scaled lizard she had noticed earlier. He was of a lithe and athletic constitution, clearly used to the arts of the huntsman. He saluted briefly. " - Yes, Captain ?"

"- Ondra, I know you've been posted to the Forbidden City before, and that you know everything about it."

"- Yes, Captain ?"

" - Our guests would like to hear some political stories from you."

The archer looked quickly from Mahalia to the Red Prince and added, in the same composed and fakely enthusiastic voice :

"- Our _guests_ , Captain ?"

"- Well, legally our prisoners, but we have to fancy up a bit."

"- I see."

" - So, do you mind answering a few questions for the Red Prince ?"

The lieutenant Ondra looked skeptical at best, but nodded his head. The Red Prince extended a languid hand :

" - Please sit down, lieutenant."

Ondra complied, looking curious. " - What can I do for you ?"

" - I haven't been home in a long time", said the Red Prince carefully, " and I have heard from Vaxx that the situation inside the City is not quite the same as I left it."

" - Things tend to do that", nodded the lieutenant with a slight smile.

" - We're looking to have a political overview of the families and the Houses inside", said Vaxx firmly. The lieutenant looked blankly at his superior. " We have to know what to expect when we go inside the City with the banned Emperor."

" - Well, if the Captain says so…" Ondra took a deep breath, and started to explain the situation : " - It might take a while. I'll try to be brief.

Inside the City, there are three different camps. There are those who wholefully support the Empress Issandra : they are led by the clergy of Zorl-Stissa, which has a lot of influence in many families. Lately though, their influence had been undermined by their sudden silence and discretion. They have not been as competent as before to complete their usual tasks, losing some support from a few noble families.

However, no one is truly speaking against the Empress, for such a feat would be an infamy and a blaspheme.

Moreover, Issandra had used some ties of her to move some of the most vulnerable people of the noble families inside her palace, where they can be guarded from the errands and attacks of the Voidwoken. It is a charitable act, but also a way to pressure the nobles. She keeps many children there. A family, as noble as it can be, is nothing without the guidance of the Goddess or a legacy."

The Red Prince closed his eyes and pinched his nose. " - She truly debased herself", he sighed. Vaxx said nothing. After a while, Ondra took the hint and continued his report :

" - Though there is no official support against any other pretender than Issandra, some might say that the name of Sadha and her family is often pronounced in the corridors of the House of Law. For centuries, the royal family has always been a member of the House of War ; but since your exile, Sire, and considering the behavior of Issandra in these times of war against the Voidwoken, there may be some members from the other Houses that caress the dreams of having one of their own as the leader of the Empire.

Obviously they will extend a kindly hand to you, should you come back to the throne and not to jail, but will expect favors in return, at least an official marriage with Sadha from the House of Law."

" - Well, that should be easy enough", said the Red Prince. " What about the third side ? Surely they are still kindred lizards that remained faithful to me ?"

" - Erm, yes, but they are very few, and mainly connected to the House of Dreams. They were led by Brahmos, but the Dreamer never returned from his travels, as he was looking for you. Without any leader, the Dreamers have been...disappearing from times to times, in mysterious circumstances. You know, they go for a walk to the market and never reapper, this sort of thing. Since these disappearances, the Dreamers have retired themselves from the rest of the city and are rarely seen. They're not easy to track drown ; they know they are officiously pursued by the legalists of the Empress, and are easy prey for those that will prefer that a new House take the throne. However, Dreamers know many secrets and mysteries, including ways of hiding themselves if need be. It is impossible to know exactly how many they are, nor their rightful intentions." Ondra looked at Mahalia for a while and added : " - A few weeks ago, the remaining Dreamers heard the fales from your travels from lizards that escaped Fort-Joy, and from some dignitaries coming back from Arx. They met a certain...Stingtail, I believe. Someone called Bahara as well. Anyway, the House of Dreams has chosen another leader while waiting for the return of Brahmos. It is you, Mahalia from the Dreams. They await you return as their new guide. "

" - Marvellous !" exclaimed the Red Prince, turning to face Mahalia. He took her hands in his, squeezing her palm gently. "- This is what you deserve, my dear. I am glad that the Dreamers recognize your worth."

Mahalia blinked, incredulous. She couldn't believe that the House of Dreams would chose her as their leader. They didn't even meet her yet. Well, she added for herself, Dreamers didn't need to meet anybody in the real, concrete world. They did not reason within the same rational, empiric lines than the rest of the world. Probably some of them followed her around...in the esoteric world between sleep and awareness. All was possible with them. But why would they do that ?

" - I thank you for this information, though it remains to be proved by meeting my fellow brothers and sisters", she replied stiffly. The response seemed to satisfy Ondra and Vaxx, who surely feared another spark of megalomany within their guests. The Red Prince seemed more excited by the news than herself and he smiled a broad grin to her.

" - Officially though, the decision of the House of Dreams is posing many problems, including the facts that many know that you chose to escort the Red Prince in his travels. Many still see you as an exiled Sourcerer, and a danger to Issandra's throne as well ; so the House of War has turned against the House of Dreams, not openly, but they struggle to diminish their strength and their influences.

Since the City is under attack and it needs the constant presences of the warriors of the House of War, Issandra took this opportunity to expand her influence and to restrain the movements and liberties of her political adversaries.

The House of Law offers the only united and coherent bastion who can really challenge her power, since they line up behind the family of Sadha. But they will not act without Sadha, nor would they dare to unbalance her power during the siege of the City. I...I think that's all I can gather for you. There's nothing much to tell. Never has the Empire been so unbounded in the face of danger. "

" - I will change this", assured the Red Prince. " - But we've discussed long enough, and I'm led to believe that we will encountered numerous fights on our way home. I thank you, Lieutenant, for your counsels, and you too, Captain."

The pair took that as a hint to leave and after some other formalities, left them to sleep.

The Red Prince chatted for a while to elaborate his plan, but Mahalia didn't quite listen to him. She laid down on her bedroll under the stars, put the warm blankets over her shoulders, and tried to connect to that strange, weird sensation she sensed earlier, as if there was a knot in the flow of the Source. She couldn't quite pin it down…but she could feel it somehow : the promise of the Dreams, tugging at her consciousness.

Before she knew it, she fell asleep in the night.


	4. Scales and wings

She woke in the plan of Dreams.

The moment she opened her eyes, she was certain of it. She recognized it intimately, as if it had never left her, as if she had never left this place.

But since her arrest and the blessing of Zorl-Stissa, she had been excluded from this place, condemned to watch it from afar, never able to reach it in her sleep, although her soul only grew stronger and stronger with Source. Af if the two were somehow incompatible.

But there was no doubting here. It was the Dreamland. The place that was not really a place, more like a million possibilities of places put together in the same mind, had a strange scent and taste. It scented like drudanae, which seemed logical in a way. The perfume lingered on, overwhelming sometimes. In her young years, before she was taught how to master the Dreams, the scent would wake her up and make her sick. She would vomit after a Dream, as if somehow the scent had travelled with her back to the real world. As for the taste, it tasted exquisite and exotic.

She looked around her. For now, the dreamland had not formed completely yet. It was as if she was standing up in a room with no walls and no roofs, no surfaces at all. All was light and all was shades. The light was not bright, was not white ; it all seemed kind of silvery, or maybe blue, or maybe it was a color no material eyes could truly perceive. As she wondered about that, the lights distorted, forming shadows ; the shadows themselves were fleeting, like ghosts, maybe. A few ghostly scenes started to sketch themselves : here was a human woman, kneeling in front of an altar. There was the world created by Brahmos for Sadha ; she could distinguish the lizard, beautiful as ever, but lost in time and space. And so on it went : people she knew or didn't know, all there maybe, but fleeting at the corners of her mind ; Ifan walking amongst dead trees ; Lohse staying awake at nights, afraid of the darkness. She wanted to stay and linger on, to approach her friends. But it was not for them that she had been called here.

To navigate the Dreams was not an easy feat. Her old mentor, a female lizard named Aethia, had taught her a lot about it. She had said that is was like diving into the waters. Divers on the coast were trained to dive deep enough to reach the precious pearls that formed down the waves ; some of them never made it back. They said that when you dive really deep, there is some strange feeling of content and satisfaction that overwhelmed you. It was as if all was right, all was at its right place, including you. So the divers could die, drowned in bliss. The Dreamers faced the same dangers ; never should you be giving in into the figures of shades and lights, never should you try to force a contact, for it was easy to lose oneself's in here. Aethia had taught her how to maintain her willpower here, and how to break free from the dreamland and make it back really quick to the real world.

Mahalia remembered all that easily, as if no time had passed. She started to walk absent-mindedly. She didn't know where she was going. She trusted her feeling, her intuition ; if something was calling her, she had to trust it.

And suddenly, without any transition, she was somewhere else. It was a room, underground maybe, but luxurious and beautiful. Veins of Source pulsed through the stones that contained it; the interior was decorated with piles of preciously embroidered cushions and sofas. Sitting around a drudanae pipe, there was a circle of lizards of different heights and scales, but the same insignia tugged to their robes : the insignia of the Dreams.

" - At least you've come to us", one of them said, saluting her. It was a female lizard, quite old judging by the faint tint of her pink scales. Her voice sounded like rocks in a river.

The circle moved and reacted to her words, but Mahalia noticed that the other lizards had their eyes closed. Their presence here was only metaphorical, so. The Godwoken approached the old lizard, gracefully bending her head to salute her properly.

" - So you are the one that called me. May I know your name, Dreamer ?"

" - My name is Myrrh, from the House of Dreams. Indeed I called you, my lady, ever since we sensed your presence on the soil of the Empire. Indeed I wished to see you and welcome you back to our House."

" - Is it true, Myrrh, that the House of Dreams chose me to replace Brahmos the Traveler ?"

Myrrh inclined her head painfully.

" - It is. We know of his death and we mourn him still. My husband left us before he could achieve his quest : bringing he who was chosen back to his throne. But Brahmos weaved dreams behind that we still maintain for him and protect."

" - You're referring to the dream world wherein lives Sadha and her dragon-children."

" - We keep on protecting her, but our strength is fading. The Godking is making progress ; its cultits track us down, and we have no protection from the current Empress. However the Dream is still alive. I have called you to welcome you ; but we know already that you will succeed. Do you wish to see ?"

" - Yes, I do."

Myrrh made a slight gesture of the chin and pointed behind her. Mahalia went past the circle of lizards and advanced in the rooms. In the darkness, the veins of Source pulsed and then, she was in a huge, circular room, made of white marble. The room seemed to be on top of a tower ; the windows were carved directly out of the marble. A sort of circular balcony surrounded the room. And there she saw the Red Prince, leaning on the balcony, Sadha by his side. A delicate crown was resting on their scales. As delicate, in fast, as she shackles they wore at their feet. In the distance, she could hear the flapping of some kind of birds. Not a bird, she corrected herself as the flapping grew louder and louder, until it was impossible to mistake the creature for anything small at all. No, that thing was gigantic. She approached the silent couple in awe, and watched, mesmerized, as she shared in the views : a dozens of marvelous creatures, as red as the dusk, were flying around in the skies. As she turned around to have a better look at the Red Prince and Sadha, she suddenly saw them climbing up the balcony and extending their arms with a smile. Their flesh started to change, to evolve, as some sort of bulb of scales and flesh exploded from their shoulders. Mahalia stepped back, impressed. Their back suddenly were ripped open, but there was no blood, there was no pain, even though the dream was quite horrific. As she expected, some sort of wings crawled out of their wounds ; they were huge, and scaly, and thin, and beautiful. They reflected the light of the dusk. The scenery seemed oddly peaceful considering the metamorphosis that she was witnessing. The couple took off and started to fly alongside the dragons. Intrigued, Mahalia climbed up the balcony too, and extended her arms in the same fashion than the couple before her. She felt as if something was ripping inside her, but it wasn't painful. She scratched her shoulder blades uneasily ; something was growing, she could feel and outgrowth in the configuration of her body.

As she withdrew her arm, she considered her hand in which she found a black shell.

She looked up, but the dragons were gone and the scenery too.

After that, she woke up in the real world.

She straightened up immediately and assessed her surrounding. It was still night. Most of the soldiers of the escort were resting, except for those that were keeping guard. Without really thinking about it, Mahalia got up and made her way to her neighbour's bedroll. The Red Prince was sleeping as well, an arm over his child. She tried not to disturb the dragonling as she knelt by the other side and seized the shoulder of the Red Prince to shake him a little.

The Red Prince suddenly straighten up as his hand went under his pillow, probably to retrieve some sort of weapon, before he recognized her. He slowly backed up from his child to face her.

" - What is it ?" he asked dryly. " - Are we in danger ? "

" - No, no, not at all. Not yet. I think."

" - You are not being very coherent right now" he noticed. He pursued with a smile : "- What do you wish to talk about then, my friend ? ."

" - I had a dream." It sounded quite grandiloquent, come to think of it.

The Red Prince took a few second to proceed the information, and was suddenly beaming. He took her in his arms fiercely.

" - I knew you were still tied to the dreams. I knew it ! Tell me, what did you see ?"

She narrated the dream in every detail as her friend listened with attention. As she described the white room in which she saw him with Sadha, he smiled and laid back a little.

" - You are describing my birthplace and my favorite tower. And you saw me there with Sadha you said ? Wearing crowns ?

"-And shackles.

"- And shackles... " he repeated. "And then ?

"You took off and fly. There were huge wings crawling out of your back. It was quite impressive."

The Red Prince nodded with satisfaction. "- This is a good sign then."

" - It's quite difficult to interpret the signs, actually. But it felt peaceful. There are two signs that felt off, though.

"The shackles, I guess. And the shell in your hands when you scratched your back. What could they mean ?

"I'm not sure. Well, I'm pretty sure for the shell. It was black, and it could look like a scale in a way. And we both know a certain lizard with black scales", she whispered, careful not to wake anyone else up.

" - It could be it", admitted the Red Prince. " This arrogant and uneducated fool did show us that he was, somehow, still alive. The House of Shadows has been after me since the beginning. It is not absurd to think that they will resume their intrigue very soon.

" -It doesn't make sense, though. Why would the Prince of Shadows reveal his existence to us without making any move against us ?

" -We cannot be certain that the lizard we saw is truly the so-called Prince we used to know. As for their plans, I am afraid I am at a loss for the moment. But we will find a way to decipher this.

" -Then the shackles. I don't know what they would indicate. It must be a warning as well."

At that, the Red Prince laughed lightly.

" - My dear, I think I can unravel this one enigma. You saw these shackles because you are jealous of my relationship with Sadha. So your mind created them to fit your jealousy. It is quite elementary.

"-What ?" cut Mahalia. " - So this is your conclusion ? Seriously ?

"-I am being as serious as can be. But you do not have to worry, Mahalia." He extended his arms to pat her shoulders. She backed up instinctively, furious. " I assure you, you will always have a place by my side.

"- I am not jealous of your relationship. You are...you are projecting your own interpretation of your life unto me.

"-If it makes you feel better to think so", he replied, a little stiff and cold.

"- You have a problem, not me.

"- Nonsense, Mahalia. I am not the one to dream of shackles on my feet.

"-It could mean a lot of things. You interpreted it your way, because you like to think of me as jealous, because...I don't know, really.

"-Well, you are jealous of Sadha, that is all I can say.

"-I am not.

"- Yes you are. Sadha is my promised one. But rest assured, I do understand why you would feel this way. Being around me for so long surely has affected you. This is all really quite normal, I fear. Soon you will have to…

"- I am not feeling anything, I assure you. You are delusional. And must you talk about Sadha all the damn time ?

"- Aha ! See ! You're making my point."

As they began to banter and argue between themselves, the dragon-ling started to whimper and became agitated in its sleep. Mahalia breathed sharply ; she felt furious and vexed that her friend would see her that way. Surely she was not jealous. Because she was not a child. A trait that was obviously not shared between them. He was being as stubborn and smug as ever. It was not worth debating the subject any further. But even as the thoughts came to her mind, her mouth went on arguing :

" - The only point made here is mine. You keep on accusing me of jealousy because it reassure you. Was Sadha there when you nearly drown in that ship ? Did she help you get rid of the collar you wore as a slave of the Magisters, or of the multiple assassins that chased you ? Did she wait for you after conceiving your child ? No, because she was busy contracting with the Godking. And how exactly did she do anything to stop him ? Is she here now, your Highness ? No ; you only have me ; and you're desperate to hang up to your dreams, especially now that you see reality is quite different from what you imagined. The truth is that you are afraid of your future. That's what the shackles means : you feel trapped !"

She tried to maintain her voice steady and low, but it seems her anger was enough to wake up the dragonling. The Red Prince was glaring at her with contempt and disappointment in his eyes, but his response was cut off by the cries of the child. Without breaking eye contact, but visibly displeased by this turn of events, he took the child in his arms and started to soothe him.

" - I see you have revealed your true face, then, Mahalia, and I must say your so-called psychological talent are overrated. I should have seen such low and illiterate thoughts coming from you. You are dismissed.

' -Dismissed ?" she replied, incredulous.

"- I am an Emperor here, so yes, I dismiss you. Get away from my sight, for now. I will call you when I need you.

"- Oh, please, stop being so delusional and imbued with yourself ", she pinched her nose, sighing. "You'll need me soon enough, your Highness."

She got up and made her way to her bedroll, that she very childishly transported as far away as she could from the Prince without leaving the perimeter of the camp. The guards that were awake looked at her strangely and started whispering between themselves.

She angrily slapped back the bedroll to the ground, but could not get back to sleep.

The escort woke up before the dawn and Vaxx ordered them to resume their travel in the early hours of the day. Mahalia stayed at the back of the formation, while the Red Prince took the lead. She was aware that they were behaving foolishly and that they should put their vexations aside, especially in times like these, but she did not wish to be the one to make the first step towards this reconciliation. By the way the Red Prince managed not to look at her at all during the day, he had followed the same trail of thoughts and was not going to make any effort either. Egocentric bastard, she thought. Why did she ever bother to have him accompany her around again ? The vexation was silly, she knew it, but the more she thought about how silly she was reacting, the more she was actually vexed.

She tried to remain unreadable to the soldiers but it was easy to tell that the guards had already been spreading rumours about the two of them. She had no wish to hear them. The rest of the travel was uneventful ; she would speak to Vaxx or to his lieutenant, Ondra, whenever they caught up with her, but otherwise would remain silent and pensive.

They reached the Forgotten City the next day.

Vaxx ordered the escort to an halt as they drew closer to its wall and gestured to Mahalia and the Red Prince to join him and Ondra. The both of them joined the captain quickly, but didn't exchange any words.

" - What is it ?" asked the Red Prince.

Vaxx was using a spyglass. He looked at something in the distance. From her perspective, Mahalia could only see the dunes leaving way to the bay of the artificial oasis the City was founded on. The walls of the City stood tall and proud, made out of a white stone that reflected the light of the sun. The sight was beautiful. The soothing view of the clear, blue water oasis contrasted against the red sands and the white was movement around the walls too ; the remparts were being attacked by some creatures, probably Voidwokens. She was too far way to tell what kind exactly and how many they were. The battle seemed sporadic and unimportant ; this was not an army. She could also distinguish the rooftops of the main buildings of the City ; here was the tower of the House of Law, a splendid architectural feat built like a spire. In the north laid the Palace of the Empire, one of the greatest and highest place in the world, easily outstanding even the cathedral of Arx.

Vaxx turned to face them and tended his spyglass to them. The Red Prince took it quickly to asses the situation himself.

" - The Voidwokens are blocking us from the main gate, and it looks like the soldiers there could use a hand", said Vaxx. " They are, however, quite numerous. If we wish to enter into the City, we will have to do so efficiently and quickly, guerilla-style. We pierce through their ranks and we make a dash for the inside of the City."

The Red Prince hummed slightly under his breath and gave the spyglass to her. " - What do you think, Mahalia ?" he asked. His tone was polite, which suggested some sort of forgiveness.

She took the telescope without any word. The tool made it far easier to perceive what was going on.

From afar, she had assumed that the Voidwokens were not numerous. But now, she could see that there were dozens and dozens. Sure, they were not a danger to the walls of the City, but their escort would have difficulty to cut through so many of them. She observed the rest of the walls ; the same situation repeated itself. Not enough Voidwokens to represent any real threats to the Forgotten City, but they were constant and everywhere. There were many battles being fought right now with the soldiers of the House of War.

" - How are they not disbanded yet ? Surely the Empire has enough men in its armies to settle this quickly", she said.

" - Yeah, the Empire though so as well", replied Vaxx. He shook his head. " They just keep coming, and they never tired. Our men need to sleep ; they don't. When you kill one, it is always replaced. We do not know why or how.

"- Strange", she commented. " We never assisted to such an organized behavior in them before.

"- Is it possible that they could learn ?" intervened the Red Prince. "After all, they used to be Eternals.

"- Eter-what ? mumbled Vaxx, but the two Godwokens ignored him.

"- We killed Dallis. She was their leader on this side of the Veil. They should have been weakened by now. The Sallow Man too has been removed, as well as Justinia and their impersonators. Something doesn't line up", Mahalia said, thinking.

Vaxx and Ondra were looking at them strangely, surely trying to understand what was going on.

" - How did they get here in the first place ? If you remember right, it is the fault of Lucian in a way. By causing the genocide of the elves, he destroyed the equilibrium of souls and Source. The weakening of Tir-Cendelius caused a rift, an opening, in which the Godking started to launch his troops", she continued.

"- And your final "solution" was to refuse divinity for your own and to distribute it amongst every living soul in Rivellon. I still think that's a bad idea, by the way. It must have created another movement of disequilibrium", added the Red Prince. "We have to take into account the disparition of some of the most powerful Source-bearers in the world too ; Dallis, Braccus and Lucian.

"-Probably", she admitted. "Another reason to reunite quickly with your Empire and your armies. The Godking is getting stronger. I hope he has not managed to cross the Veil yet. Otherwise…"she trailed off.

"- Our ancient seven gods shared the power of the Source between them when they found it, and then amongst their servants, so that they could drink off their souls. But the Godking, when he was cast into the Void, was alone. He never shared the power he found out there. And we have no divinity to oppose him now", continued the Red Prince.

They fell silent, considering the situation. Vaxx and Ondra stared, wide-eyed, at them, trying to take in the informations they had subtly overheard.

" - I didn't get most of the things you said, finally said Vaxx, but…"

The Red Prince turned towards them, as if he had forgotten their existences, and cut Vaxx sternly, gesturing him to be quiet :

" - Lieutenant Ondra, you are a skilled infiltrator, aren't you ?

"-I am….

"- This is my order for you. You are to infiltrate the City now and make contact with the House of Law. You will warn them of my presence and that, as the Spouse of Sadha and the rightful Emperor, I expect their hospitality tonight. We will talk about the future of our Empire, including the demise of the current usurper and the rise of Sadha's faithfuls. Is that clear enough ?

"- It is not, actually. Because you are not my superior, but an exiled. So I do not take orders from you."

Mahalia gasped. She had not seen such courage (or idiocy) coming from the lieutenant. Vaxx tried to intervene, but it was too late ; the Red Prince grasped Ondra by the collar and single-handedly lift him off the ground.

" - Stop that !" ordered Vaxx coldly, but the Red Prince didn't listen to him. He glared into the eyes of Ondra, as the lieutenant tried to remain unreadable and not show any sign of weaknesses.

Mahalia felt a slight twist in the Source ; the Red Prince was calling to his innate abilities. She had seen him do this before, mainly in the course of battle. He had a way of glaring at people that could be quite frightening, to be honest. It felt as if he was tearing the inside of your souls. Most of the victim of this gaze would be destabilized, impressed, and cried something along the lines of "Kill the demon!" The feat was mainly impressive, and sometimes useful in combat. The mind of the victims grew weaker and it was easier to wave a spell at them.

Ondra closed his eyes in response. " - Let me correct your phrasing, young lieutenant. I am not just *an* exiled, I am *the* exiled Emperor of this place. You are due to obey my commands and orders, for I am your superior. This Empire is mine, and I will not have anyone disrespect my name and my authority here. We are going to stop the Voidwokens and their leader ; this is your mission too, as a member of my House. So now you will do as you are told, or you will leave."

Vaxx managed to intervene. He put himself between the Red Prince and his lieutenant. " - Easy now, Prince. My lieutenant was only doing his job. He is loyal and respectful of the Empire, by respecting my legitimate authority.

"- Really ? And who do you support now, Captain ?

"- I support you", Vaxx said. He turned towards Ondra, who was still closing his eyes and now had difficulties breathing. " - On the condition that you prove yourself not to be as narcissist and power-driven than your mother."

The Red Prince laughed bitterly and let go of Ondra, who fell back on the ground. " - I can assure you that my mother is far worse than I could ever be. Now that this question is settled, can we move forwards ? I plan for us to have a busy day. Vaxx, go talk to your men and make sure that they understand that they either serve me, or that they can go away now. Ondra, I think your orders are clear enough. And Mahalia " he turned towards her, full of confidence and smugness "let's give these Voidwokens an hour or two before attacking them. I need our infiltrators inside the city before my arrival, so that they can prepare my hosts and guardians."

Mahalia nodded, unfazed by what happened. After all, it was unrealistic to think that the Red Prince would endure much longer being called an exiled. Ondra got up on his feet and massaged his throat, coughing a little. Vaxx exchanged a few words with him in private, and the lieutenant seemed to calm down after this conversation. He turned towards the Red Prince and adopted a martial attitude.

" - I'll take a few men with me, General." His voice was carefully neutral. " - I'm leaving now."

The Red Prince smiled delightfully as he watched the soldier go away to choose his men.

" - General", he repeated.

"-Well, I guess that's how we should call you now", murmured Vaxx. " Every soldier remembers the General fondly.

"-You are making the right call, Captain Vaxx", replied the Red Prince, looking at him sternly. As he left him to direct himself towards the troops, Mahalia heard the Captain mumbling to himself :

" I certainly hope so…"

Ondra left with three other lizards, as he said. They all had the ability to turn themselves invisible and favored the art of the bow and the daggers ; it seemed a reasonable choice. After that, Vaxx had a talk with his men. It lasted for a while and a few lizards left the ranks of the escort, shouting that they will "see what the Governor has to say with traitors like them." Mahalia supposed that the rest of the soldiers had confessed their loyalty to the Red Prince. He was checking his weapons, seemingly unaware of the mess he caused in the ranks of the soldiers, but Mahalia could see the slight smirk on his face.

She herself prepared for the fight. She adjusted her shield on her arm, checked the bracers of her enchanted armor, and recalled the few spells that could be useful in combat. Once she was ready to fight, the Red Prince got up and walked slowly towards her.

" - Mahalia", he began. " I still do not intend to ask for forgiveness for my hurtful commentaries on your dreams. I do wait for you to beg my pardon.

"- General," she replied. " - I still don't give a damn about your pardon, and I won't apologize. You can, however, try to appeal to my mercy if that is your wish."

He laughed frankly. " - You are stupidly smug and arrogant, Mahalia.

"- You too, your Highness.

"- It is only natural. I deserve recognition because I am simply better than everyone else. But I have to ask to leave this argument at that. I still need your help.

"- I told you so. You can't live without me.

"- No, I can't," he said softly. " Though sometimes I wish I could. You can be so stubborn. Anyway ; please honor me and lead the fight with me.

"- Do not worry, Prince. I'll watch your back."

He nodded slowly, and turn towards the pack of the soldiers. " - Well, let's not wait any more, shall we ?"

The general drew his sword and his shield and turned to walk towards the City and the Voidwokens. Mahalia followed him without hesitation, and, after a few seconds of muttering, the soldiers, led by Vaxx, fell into line behind them.


	5. Void and wine

Fighting had become a natural thing to Mahalia. It was like a rehearsal for a choreography she knew well. One step to the right ; the shield on her left ; with a little concentration and waving, her old familiar friend, the Bone Widow, was by her side. She had always thought this invocation to be stunning. The disturbing rattling of the spider-like legs made of bones and the deadly, piercing arms were generally enough to hold off most attackers. As an invoker and a necromancer, she had a tight connection to the elements and the spell, in her claws, had become deadly. The creature started to attack the most vulnerable Voidwokens, making short work of them and barring their ways to the spellcaster.

In front of her, the Red Prince was taunting a few enemies. He was a surprisingly resilient opponent. In their common adventures together, he strategically specialized in defense, being able to wear heavy armor and shield without losing his mobility in combat. He wore many magical trinkets and defences ; most of the time, he mainly put himself in the frontline, controlling their enemies and attracting them to him with his smug, arrogant attitude, while Mahalia's creatures made the main job. Ifan would cover them in the heights, pinning down the most struggling opponent, using a bit of elemental magic to spice things up. His shots were precise and deadly. He was not with them today, and without Ondra either, their backs were vulnerable.

Vaxx's soldiers were fighting to the best of their abilities, but they were no match compared to the both of them. Vaxx himself stood by the Red Prince's side. Mahalia had been surprised by his style of attacks ; she had imagined him to be a brutal and ruthless warrior, preferring strength over grace. However, Vaxx was more cunning than she believed him to be. Wearing two small blades around, he was quick and fast, always striking from the sides. It was an uncommon way of fighting for a lizard in the army, but he had proven quite efficient.

The first minutes of the battle were quite easy for them. Since the Voidwokens were flanked by their attack on the ground and by the archers and protectors of the Forbbiden City from the walls, they were clearly at a disadvantage. Even though they used a lot their ability to teleport themselves to try to break their strategy, they were met with iron and spells, arrows and bone claws.

The escort advanced swiftly through the ranks. Vaxx looked towards the soldiers guarding the walls and the gate :

" - I am captain Vaxx from the House of Law. Please open the gate to us !"

There was a bit of a hustle up on the walls, until one female lizard with green, tattered scales pushed her men around and replied :

" - I am major Usther from the House of War. We have strict orders not to open the gate to the Exiled !"

" - Shit, not her ", mumbled Vaxx.

" - Well, at least they do not call me "an" exiled anymore", sighed the Red Prince, gracefully decapitating a Voidwoken in the same time.

He seemed to make no efforts in battle. It was quite fascinating. Vaxx looked sweaty, sturdy and tired compared to the effortless grace of the Prince.

Mahalia spotted the Voidwokens on their far left gathering together and withdrawing from the walls.

"- They're gathering on the left !"

" - On our right as well", said a soldier.

" - Soldiers ! Form a circle. We'll hold them."

"- What if they don't let us in ?"

The Red Prince took a moment to break from the fight and address the defenders on the wall.

"- Major Usther", he began. Out from the ground, he noticed a few sparkles of darkness which generally announced the arrival of new Voidwokens. He displaced himself just in time to avoid the sudden apparition of a massive, spider-like Voidwoken, who proceeded immediately to capture the nearest soldier in her mandibles and break his torso in half. The Red Prince remained steady and calm, gesturing Vaxx to skirt around the creature while he drew his attention. " - It would be highly inappropriate for you to abandon your legitimate Emperor and the head of your own House. Please remember your place and open to us."

Usther spat on the ground. " - You are no legitimate ruler of mine. Only the Empress gives me orders. And they were quite clear."

" - Usther !" cried out Vaxx, with a tone of annoyance. " - Are you fucking mad ? Are you going to abandon us here ? I am on a mission. A mission from the House of Law."

"- I bet you are ! The Law always want to keep the blankets for them !" the major looked down on the Red Prince with disdain. " - Now they affiliate with honorless idiots and demons. Well, I have news for you : the hirelings of the Law does not give the orders here !"

" - Damn it. We just had to get this cursed, stupid major on the other side of the walls", complained Vaxx as he took a plunge to hinder the back legs of the spider-creature.

Mahalia danced around, launching her creatures to protect their flanks while the soldiers took care of the Voidwokens in the center. The dragonling, on his father shoulder, spread his light red wings and flew above the spider-thing, breathing fire at it. They still had the advantage for now, but the creatures kept coming at them and Usther did not make any sign that she would change her mind.

Mahalia inhaled sharply, assessing the heights of the walls, and made her decision :

" - Prince ! Vaxx ! I'll leave you my Widow to protect your sides. Have a few of your archers cover me. I'll fly up there."

" - Fly ?"

The Red Prince nodded, used to this method, while Mahalia concentrated. Soon, feathery wings of Source grew over her back, and, with a push of her feet, she took off to the heights.

There were Voidwokens in the air too. Two of them, who looked like huge lullabies, chased her. Even though Vaxx's archers tried to cover her, the flight was bothersome and difficult. She had little room to maneuver around the lullabies and they tried repeatedly to spit some sort of acid at her wings. Moreover, in this position, she was vulnerable ; it was impossible to maintain the spell of flight and weave another spell in the meantime. Finally, she managed to fly around the lullabies and the arrows, with only a few scratches, and landed on the wall, much to the amazement of the soldiers. Of course, the metamorphosis she used was quite common, but the lizards of the Old Empire generally looked down on the use of such spells ; their bodies were sacred and held in high regards, so why modify them with magic ?

Usther turned towards her, holding a sword and a shield, and apparently hesitant. " - I warned you we had orders."

" - I know", replied Mahalia calmly. She took a glance to the fight ; the Red Prince was still standing, hopefully, and had just killed the spider-thing. However, the number of soldiers on Vaxx's side was slowly but surely thinning down.

" - However, I have to remind you of several things before you do something as reckless as attack me", she went on, eyeing the way Usther's claw grabbed her sword.

"- You're an exiled too. And a traitor. Why should I listen to you ?'' spat the major. However, Mahalia read easily in her demeanor that she was hesitant. She had surely not expected to have to actually see any one of them face to face. It was so easier to let them die outside the walls than to have to attack them personally.

Mahalia smiled, but there was no warmth in it.

" - I was just told recently that I have been made the head of the House of Dreams. Do you really wish to antagonize me ? Just to be sure before I do anything drastic."

This stirred the soldiers behind Usther a little. They were simple lizards, and even in those troubled times, the most common men revered and feared the Dreamers. Plus, if what Ondra said was correct, the actual Empress was trying to discreetly suppress the Dreamers, but to no success, since they had eluded her attempts and remained a mysterious strength and counterbalance to her power in the city. It would be an extremely radical and bold move to do anything against her, both in regards of the traditions of the Old Empire which hold them sacred, and in regards of the risks.

" - I - I do not wish that, Mistress," said the Major hesitantly. " But I cannot go against my orders. The Empress told us that she was warned of your arrival, and that we should never accept her son back to the city, under any circumstances. I would not dare disrespect you or the men under captain Vaxx's commands, but I have to comply to the orders. This is the way of my House."

Well, persuading Usther peacefully seemed more complicated than Mahalia thought. She had hoped that her little display of power would calm down the soldiers, but indeed the situation between the Houses had to be dire if soldiers from the House of War denied orders from the ones of the Dreams or Law.

As she was reflecting on what to say or do next - she could not imagine attacking Usther, even though there seemed to be no other way to get to the doors - a hundred of lizards, all armored and armed with the colors of the House of Law, marched down the street to the gates. Usther looked briefly to Mahalia, then to the escort on the other side of the wall, slowly clearing the Voidwokens away from them, and then back to the new arrival of soldiers.

With a sign from who was probably their leader, the newcomers came to an halt. Their leader stepped out of their lines. It was a tall, old and handsome lizard. He didn't have the looks of a warrior about him ; his ways were more those of a diplomat or a scholar, someone with erudition and courtesy. His gaze was cold and emotionless as he assessed the situation, showing only a spark of surprise as he noticed her presence. Mahalia then saw Ondra amongst the men. The lieutenant remained discreet and had put on the same uniform as the others, but the golden scales gave him away.

" - Major Usther, what is this…" the scholar looked around with disdain. "...this _trickery_ ? Have you lost your mind ?"

Being outnumbered now, Usther was now visibly backing down. " - Inquisitor Issden, my orders are very clear…" she began. But the Inquisor did not let her finish, and growled fiercely, pointing his claw towards the gate :

" - My men are behind this gate. Why are they not here yet ?"

Usther groaned and mumbled for herself : " And how did you know they were here, you old fuck ?"

" - What's that ?" asked Mahalia with a polite and nice tone, and Usther glared deadly at her. The Inquisitor frowned, comprehending the situation.

" - Great Oracle Mahalia, the House of Law extends its salutations to you", the lizard said, bowing gracefully to her. Following him, his men quickly bowed behind him. The scene seemed strangely eerie to Mahalia, as if it was happening to someone else.

" - I thank you, Inquisitor." She then nodded her head at the gates : " - The Empress has ordered your men out of the city since they escort the Red Prince."

" - We have heard of his arrival. It is our role now to take him into our custody to wait for his new judgment."

"- Bullshit !" cried Usther.

The Inquisitor turned towards her. " - Major Usther, I assure you this is the decision reached by the Assembly of Thousands just a few hours ago. The Assembly have legally overpowered the mention of the ruler of the House of War. The assembly now requires that the Laws that maintain our city away from savagery and barbary be obeyed."

" - The Empress will not let this pass ! The words of Zorl-Stissa are far superior to you" raged the major, glaring furiously at the Inquisitor.

Mahalia stepped in :

" - Major Usther, I know this is a huge and difficult decision for you. On your shoulders rest today a very, very important dilemma. If you do not open the gates, you directly disobey the Assembly of Thousands and the will of the Dreamers. By making this decision, you and your men will sign today the beginning of a civil war. And under this siege, such an outbreak will be the end of the city."

The Inquisitor nodded calmly : "I plainly agree with the Great Oracle. And if a Dreamer and a prophet foresees the end of the Forbidden City, we all have to consider her visions with the utmost concern."

" - Fine ! Fine, I'll open it. Men ! You heard it ! Open the gates to them." Usther was livid and furious. She turned towards them as her soldiers began to activate the gates. " - But you bet the Empress will hear about you two. And if any Voidwokens enters through and kill civilians because of you, I expect you will be held responsible !"

" - My men will make sure this won't happen. Now resume to your brave task, Major."

Mahalia spread her wings again and flew down, to greet her friend and hold back the Voidwokens with the men of the Inquisitor. The fight was quick and efficient : the few Voidwokens that crawled their ways through the door were either dismantled by the Red Prince's blade, or by the Inquisitor's men.

As the gates closed behind him, the Red Prince sighed and stretched his arms languidly. " - Finally ! It sure has taken you some time," he said to Mahalia.

She smiled teasingly. " I didn't want you to lose your edge in battle."

" - Ah ! As if that would ever happen !"

The Red Prince turned towards the Inquisitor, completely ignoring the furious glare of Usther on his back.

"- Inquisitor Issden", he saluted politely. The lizard in front of him saluted back with the same, stiff tone.

" - Spouse of my daughter. We have much to talk about. I ask you to follow me back to my House, where I will provide you shelter and food as fitting for your rank tonight. Tomorrow, however, we will have to report to the court of the Empress, where the Assembly wishes to reset your past trial."

The Red Prince froze a little bit, considering the situation and the stiff tone of the Inquisitor, but finally nodded without further ado.

" - I am glad to be welcomed by civilization at least. We will follow you back. I ask of you to enable my escort, led by captain Vaxx here, to join us."

" - Of course. Sadha's mother has a lot she wants to talk to you about." The Inquisitor leaned down a little to whisper to hem : " And I believe my wife had already organized a banquet in your honor and as a way of irritating Issandra. Oh, we have much to talk about, my Prince. Please follow me."

The Inquisitor Issden had led them into the center of the city. The streets were eerily empty, which was strange. Mahalia remembered this place to always be full of life. The scent of drudanae, incense and perfume lingered in the air. The canals brought with them the sweet sound of water, and multiple umbrellas made of the finest materials protected them from the heat of the desert. Here, all was beauty, luxury and peace. She had forgotten this place, its architecture complexity and beauty, the way everything seemed old and important. For a few minutes, she felt a weird emotion building up inside her. The last time she had been here, she was a nobody. A Dreamer, yes, but merely an initiate, certainly not a prophet nor an oracle. She would predict the future of housewives or kids and barely made a living of it. Of course, she would be treated with respect but would remain a commoner.

And yet here she was now, walking the streets with confidence, amongst the mighty and the Masters. The buildings she passed by were once impossible to merely approach : here was the agora of the Assembly of the Housand, there the Great Consulate, the Library of the Eldest, and even, just nearby, the Royal Palace, heavily guarded by the army of the Empress Issandra…

Issden took them to his family's villa. It was a huge and intricate tower, somewhat freil and intimidating at once. The walls were finely carved with works or art. The Inquisitor's men disposed themselves around it to protect it from any newcomers, and the small escort of twenty soldiers that worked with Vaxx seemed very small compared to the spacious rooms they entered into.

She had forgotten the slaves as well. There were dozens and dozens of them. Elves, dwarves, humans...she contained a shiver. Of course, slavery was legal and quite well-considered in the Old Empire. Why would the chosen race, aka the magnificent lizards, do the dirty and manual work ? Their intelligence and fierceness had to be preserved for politics, law-debating, war-monging, or daydreaming. But her times away from the Empire had made her forget about the ways other races were treated in the heart of the Empire.

Issden had not lied. His wife had indeed prepared a huge banquet to welcome the Red Prince's return. As he explained on their way, all his family had been reunited. They were eyeing with excitation and curiosity the dragonling, as they figured out the prophecy concerning Sadha had come true.

The rest of the evening was kind of blurry to her.

The Red Prince had been placed in the most central seat of the banquet. During all the evening, he had received many visits from relatives, potential allies or notables. Mahalia watched it all from afar, as she had been separated from him and placed with the high-ranking members of the society. Though they were eager to try to impress and please her, she didn't manage to concentrate well on their conversations. It didn't matter though, since her neighbours had decided that she was a very wise person and that every comment she made hide a piece of wisdom to decipher.

They were disturbed a few times. The Empress had sent some envoys of her to fetch the Red Prince, but the Inquisitor refused to give in.

" - He will go and see her tomorrow, and I refuse to show any disrespect to my guest", he insisted, much to the contempt of the envoyes.

Wine flew this evening. Everyone seemed dizzy. At one point, some musicians began to play and all the nobles and ladies started dancing. The Red Prince was literally overflowed by pretty maiden wishing for a dance. Mahalia politely shared the dance with a few notable and Ondra ; Vaxx himself could not be bothered and was already half-sleeping on the table. Then there was more wine and she started to think that the young lieutenant with golden scales was fine for her taste. There definitely was a bit too much wine, Mahalia reflected as all guests were slowly making their drunk ways to their chambers. She herself had not drunk so much and still felt dizzy; this couldn't be said about her friend.

The Red Prince was weird. There was no better word to describe it. He had spent most of his last years dreaming about the day he would go back to his throne. Now the throne was occupied by his mother who betrayed him, which was a problem. He had not been acclaimed in the streets as he had once thought. And here, in this banquet, has was at least received with the precipitation and admiration he deserved. Going from one feeling to the other, and drinking quite a lot, changed his behavior. Instead of brooding about his exile, he was now beaming with anticipation. He seemed careless and reckless, and he walked by to his room accompanied by a beautiful young lizard.

Hesitantly, Mahalia followed him as the banquet finally ended. She coughed politely to reveal her presence. The Red Prince turned towards her a bit less gracefully than usual, but still wearing his smug face.

" - Mahalia !" he greeted her. " - That was a nice banquet. At least, the noble families recognize me." He lifted a claw. " - Tomorrow, we'll defeat my evil mother. O, such putrid heart shall sit on my throne no more, this, I assure you."

The young lizard by his arm laughed lightly. She had a very pretty, musical voice. This instantly irritated Mahalia.

" - Can I talk to you for a moment ? " she asked, riveting her gaze to the young noble so that she would take the hint.

" - Do not be embarrassed by Mistress Ioletta here. Polygamy is very usual amongst the Emperors. I intend to keep the traditions. In fact, perhaps you'll like to join us ? You could become one of my mistress", he offered politely.

" - Um", mumbled Mahalia in response. " Sorry, what ?"

" - Of course that means you will have to attend diplomacy events. And the religious ceremonies. And learn how to sew a proper dress. The mastery of the ancient art of calligraphy is also required. But I think it would be a great idea. Having the Oracle as a concubine is extremely prestigious", the Prince went on, blinking hazily his eyes. " Better than being a slave. A huge leap of power and position." The courtesan laughed still, which was really annoying.

Mahalia strictly turned to her and pointed the other way : " You are dismissed. Thank you for your company. Now the Emperor and I have to talk about things that do not concern you."

" - But….!"

" - There is no "but." Go away, now !"

The young lady looked at her dryly, sniffed and slowly made her way back to the main room.

" - Contemplating you trying to display your authority is always amusing", commented the Prince, laying back on the wall. " - Still not jealous ?"

" - You're not my type, and I already have a date", she replied, opening the door. " Plus, I need to talk to you seriously."

She entered the cozy, noble room. The Prince followed her a bit more drunkily and directly laid himself on the bed. The dragonling was already here, sleeping peacefully in a sort of craddle.

" - Then talk to me and be done with it", he said.

" - What is going on ? You just seem...strange. And you're visibly...drunk."

" - Not true."

"- Definitely true. What happened ? Did something went wrong at the dinner ?"

" - Everything was fine. They all were trying to position themselves, so that I would remember them fondly when I take the throne. They are cowards, and I despise them, and this is…" he waved his claws " ...it's politics."

" - Are you really trying to confront your mother tomorrow ?"

" - The evil witch ? Oh, yes, of course. And defeat her."

"- In this state ?"

" - Which state ? I'm fine."

" - You look like a young soldier on the verge of his first battle. All anxious and all. I can tell something is off. You are goddamned drunk, to begin with. I have never seen you like that."

The Prince sighed and started to unlace his boots.

" - Yes, yes, I suppose you have not. We did not wander in enough civilized places for me to get "drunk", as you say. Because that would suppose that humans know how to make wines. Which they do not. So, I guess I am celebrating the joy of being one again with the greatest gift of civilization : fine wine. And since I am guessing you won't leave me until you think you have me reveal my inner feelings to you, here's the thing : you are right. I am anxious. And the politics and all...it is not going according to my plans."

He fell silent, took one boot in his claw and looked at it quizzically.

" - They should have kneel before me. Yet they don't. I have to be here, nearly illegally welcomed in my own city...and they drown me with wine so that I forget they once sided with my mother. _They should have kneel._ "

He grasped the boot and threw it against the wall. Mahalia watched the innocent piece of leather slide down the wall.

" - Wow. That was...passionate."

" - I am rightfully and utterly filled with anger as we speak", continued the Red Prince calmly. " - And I am making a fool of myself. I thought it would be…" he fell silent. " - And I just confide into you, of course. Which makes more of a fool, for what could you do or say ? How could you even comprehend ? To be so close to my dream, to my destiny, and to see it being profaned by my own mother...to see these wretched lizards, my people, refuse to acknowledge me or trying to sell me their influence… It is a disgrace."

Mahalia sat by his side. They fell silent for a while.

"- And tomorrow I have to confront her."

" - Is she really so terrible ?"

He laughed bitterly, and turned his back on her as he started to undress.

" - You can not imagine," he said blankly. " - Are we done here ? I need to think and to sleep before tomorrow. Though I feel sleep will elude me tonight", he added. " And you took away my distraction."

" - It was a stupid distraction. You do not need to be distracted. You need to be focused and clear-minded."

" - And you need to stop nurturing me."

" - It's just that I care."

" - Oh, please, spare me this pathetic compassion", he sighed, exasperated.

Well, it seemed like the Prince was having his mood swings again and the discussion would go no farther. Absent-mindedly, she lifted her claw to touch his shoulder as he finished undressing. There was no prudishness amongst them, since they had been adventuring together for so long. However, she felt a bit of unease for the first time touching him like that, maybe because of his numerous piques earlier. He was indeed quite handsome and magnetic, in his way, and his naked back showed his athletic muscles and warrior-like bod. He was taller than Ifan, of course, and thinner in a way. Well, he had always been attractive but she had never considered him this way before. It was probably the wine talking now, or the fact that they'd been isolated for so long, but there was definitely something about him, something she had never truly thought about before.

Noticing her absent-mindedness, he looker at her briefly :

" - Mahalia, is there anything you wish to add or can you leave me in peace ?"

She came back to her senses and withdrew her claw clumsily, as if she had been burnt.

" - I'll leave you alone", she replied. She got up quickly, trying to mask her uneasiness. " - I just want to remind you that this prophecy is going to get accomplished. I have promised you that."

His gaze changed slightly as he seemed to notice her discomfort.

" - Yes, obviously," he said in a distant tone, gauging her silently.

" - Obviously", she repeated. " I'll see you in the morning."

His gaze made her feel awkward. She made her way to the door as fast as it was decently possible, without giving in to her embarrassment.

" - Oh, Mahalia", called the Red Prince as she going to close the door.

" - Um ?"

"- Please consider my earlier proposition. I may be a bit intoxicated, but it was a serious one."

" - I'll...think about it", she replied, in lack of a better response.

As she closed the door behind her and felt a slight blush on her scales, she reflected that it was really a weird evening.


	6. Lesson of Humility

"We should not go there", she said. "There was something in the Dreams. I feel they were warning me of something. I've felt something strange ever since we've arrived here. There is a danger surrounding us."

" - Or you've just had too much wine yesterday", the Prince replied, casually putting his metal gauntlet on.

Mahalia and the Prince had reunited at the end of the night in his chamber, to prepare for the event of the day. They had barely sleep, but what little sleep she got had tortured the Dreamer. Something was off, but she could not figure what. Were they going to be betrayed by the House of Law ? Had Issandra planned something they did not foresee ?

" - Please, " she insisted. "You have always believed in the Dreams before. Why not listen to me now ? Do you not trust me ?"

The Prince finished putting his armor on and gestured for her to help him put the straps of leather joining the articulations together.

" - I do trust you, Mahalia." He paused, reflecting for a moment. " But you have been behaving quite strangely yourself these last few weeks. What I mean is...now is not the time for me to argue with you. And it seems all you've been doing lately is bickering about me or my choices."

" - I -"

"- Let me finish. I have thought about it tonight...you seem to have lost the stakes of our actions here. You are not making the right call anymore ; ever since you listened to this hairy human of yours...Ifan Ben Mezd, yes...who somehow convinced you to turn over the power of the Source to every being in Rivellon. Such a pitiful decision, really."

" - Are we going to argue about this again ?"

" - Ah !" he said with excitation. " - Arguing. Exactly what you love doing. Arguing about your dreams, my future, my wife...and forgetting what is all about."

" - Are you out of your mind ?" she hissed angrily. " - You've been the weird one lately ! You're abusive and manipulative - "

"- Yes, yes I am. I have always been. Actually, I would not qualify myself the way you just did. I am not abusive and manipulative ; I am simply better than everyone else, and it is painful to me to have to order you around, because you just can't take any initiative."

" - You are just proving my point, you idiot", she sighed.

" - I have no idea why I have been listening to you for so long."

" - Because I am the one who killed gods and saved Rivellon ?" she suggested acidly.

He shook his head sadly and turned back to face her.

" - May I remind you, Mahalia, that you were not alone. Moreover, my dear, let us remember what are the stakes we are fighting for here." He paused for a second. " We are at war. Against the Godking and his Voidwokens. We have defeated his minions and his most powerful puppets - but he is still here, and we have to unite the various people of Rivellon in order to get rid of his kind. Am I correct ?"

Mahalia laid back on the bed, massaging her temples wearily.

" - Yes, you are correct. As if I would forget that."

" - Well, you are forgetting it. Your hairy human -"

" - stop calling him that - "

"- he went to the elves, probably because of some sort of guilt-redemption narrative arc. With any chance, he will convince them to join the dwarves and the humans and the lizards in the war ; which will be an astounding feat, considering the humans bombed them and the lizards enslaved them. Lohse, now, she is doing something useful : gathering informations, gathering people, organizing humans and dwarves. And what was our mission, Mahalia ? To get the Empire in the war."

" - Thanks, Emperor-obvious."

"- Well, since you are mocking me for being obvious, let's keep going : what is refraining us today from leading the Empire into the war ? My distasteful mother. As long as she is standing, she will not certainly lead our kind along with the inferior races of Rivellon. I shall add that my wife and my son are also in grave danger. And I should do everything in my power to both reunite Rivellon and save my family's like."

" - I can't argue with that. But it seems reckless. What do you hope for ? Issandra will gather an army around us. She will never accept you idea of a duel. She knows she will lose. What is going to happen at this trial ? They will not just let you waltz through the Palace."

" - My mother breeded and raised me, so I know her rotten heart better than most. She is arrogant and she is, right now, in a position of precarity. The power in the city is escaping her and she knows it. She has to make an example of me, to be sure to reclaim the power and her legitimacy over the Houses. She will have to confront me face to face. If she hides, if she shows any sign of weakness, her allies will start doubting her strength."

" - You are really optimistic. She is surely not as stupid as that."

" - She is not stupid. This is just the way the game is played, Mahalia. Of course you would not know this. You are a commoner, after all."

" - Oh, come on, Prince ! I thought we've grown over those foolish insults of yours. You lament on the fact that we keep arguing, but you clearly never miss an occasion to insult me !"

" - This is not an insult. I am merely making a statement."

" - Then let me return the favor : you are acting exactly like you were when I met you in Fort Joy. Which, if you need the specifics again, mean that you are acting like a dumbass jerk."

" - Commoner language", he pointed out.

" - Reckless idiot", she replied evenly.

" - Fine !" He lost some of his smug composure and restrained himself from yelling. " - You think that I should withdraw from this confrontation ? Then you are the idiot here. For I cannot show any weakness here either. I cannot hide. I have to fight and show that I am more legitimate than my damned own mother, who betrayed me and took my throne. And if I fail anything - and I say anything - in the following hours, we both get killed. And that is the best case scenario. And there is no Empire to fight with Rivellon . And with no unity, there is no Rivellon to speak of. And if that happens, and if the Godking marches on Rivellon, then my very wife and my son get killet too. Am I making myself clear ? I cannot and I will not choose to hide. I will not be weak just because some female commoner start speaking about her dreams. You have given me orders before and you have won your own fight. Now it is my turn, Mahalia, and you will take my command, for you are a subject of the Emperor and, since I need to remind nearly everybody of this, I am the fucking Emperor here. Not you, not my mother !"

The Red Prince was now pacing the room. He was not in the habit of foul-speaking, and rarely needed to raise his voice. Now he was barely containing his anger. And was he...shaking ? He avoided her gaze and grabbed his weapons to adjust them to his belt. Mahalia was so unused to him being emotional that she lost her voice for a few seconds. What could she do ? Reassure him and comfort him ? This was just not how he was.

" - Prince, please. We can win this fight, we can be smart about it. They are waiting for us, they know we are coming. Do we really need to throw ourselves into their traps ? Please, let us think about it. Do not go into the Palace. They will outnumber us ; you will have no allies in the house of the Empress. We can take more time. We can plot and scheme, and plan some sort of revolution, go there but with a really army to speak of, not just some merchants and notables who are just trying to have it both ways -..."

" - No. We will not. Or at least, I will not. If you want to lose time and frolick around the Forbidden City looking for allies, please be my guest. I don't need you there. I know my mother. She will be here, and she will fight. I am sure of it. "

There was no way to change his mind, and he retreated into silence.

Mahalia sighed. His behavior deeply irritated her, but she could not fathom leaving him alone into the Palace. They would have to go, no matter the danger.

At dawn, the Red Prince was ready. The Inquisitor was leading a small group of men to escort them to the Palace. Vaxx and Ondra were still accompanying them, which was reassuring. They had shown some sort of loyalty to the Prince in the end, and it showed that the Inquisitor had no intentions of betraying them.

The Inquisitor was waiting for them outside with his men. The sun was rising. The streets of the Forbidden City were still eerily empty. The sun reflected warmly on the white stone of the city and the blue water in the canals. It was easy, here, to forget the Voidwokens attacking the ramparts of the city.

Issden saluted the Red Prince. " - As agreed by the Assembly of the Thousand Voices, the representatives of the House of the Law will now guide you into the Palace where the Law and the Empress will discuss your fate and your claim to the throne. A new trial will take place to decide whether your past bonds with demons have been atoned by your actions in Rivellon."

" - Then let us not waste time. My mother is waiting", he replied.

The escort set silently for the Palace. Everybody was nervous and uneasy. Even the Inquisitor Issden showed some traces of worries.

As they neared the Palace, the guards of the House of War approached them, led by major Usther. There were other lizards here, as well. Passers-by, commoners, merchants had gathered a bit more far-away, strangely silent.

" - Inquisitor.", she saluted, but ignored the Prince. " - The Empress has sent us to disarm your men before entering the Palace."

" - This isn't the agreement that was reached by the Assembly", replied Issden defiantly.

Vaxx tightened his claws around his swords and mumbled something along the lines of "No fucking way." Ondra remained perfectly calm, studying the numbers of Usther's guards.

" - Is my mother afraid ?" intervened the Red Prince. His tone was cold and sarcastic. " - Very well. If the old hag fears to face warriors, then let us put up with her whims."

The cold line fell into the hears of the lizards gathered in front of the Palace like a blade to the heart. Mahalia reflected that the Red Prince did not need any weapon with a tongue like that. The insult was so big that it was already a wound to the power of Issandra. With utter disdain, the Red Prince threw his magnificent blade to the ground, just between the feet of major Usther.

" - I have no wish to delay anymore this meeting. Let us be done with the pleasantries."

Usther seemed deeply annoyed and vexed by his demeanor, but unable to come up with anything smart enough to reply. The guards disarmed them one by one, looking both relieved not to fight them, and disturbed by the good will of the Red Prince.

Usther approached the Red Prince and started to raise her claws towards his torso.

" - What in the Source do you think you are doing, major ?" he asked coldly, and his gaze pierced through the soldier. Usther tried to mutter something :

" - We have orders to search for any hidden weapons or obvious dangerous equipment - "

" - Really ? Because I am warning you, major. If your servile claws even brush my armor, I will cut them and make you eat them. Am I clear ?"

Usther gulped, torn once again between her orders and the intimidating presence of the exiled. Her men tensed. One even closed his eyes and started praying for Zorl-Stissa, quickly shut down by one of his comrade who elbowed him to get silent.

The Inquisitor Issden said nothing but crossed his arms in a condescending way.

" - I - I guess this will not be necessary. You have shown your good will to comply our orders", Usther suggested.

" - Very good. Now do something useful and bring us to see my perfid mother."

Usther reunited her guards and they entered the Palace. The passers-by and commoners followed them in the distance, but were kept off from the Palace by the guards.

The Royal Palace was, like most places of power in Rivellon, built to impress its visitors. Everything was immoderate ; its height, its work of arts, its weaponry. Its roof was carved open to let the light of the sun fall down over many patios, covered with vegetation and luxuries. The air smelled of fruits, spices, and metal. At the end of the impressive vestibule, they entered into a room much more stern. The throne was facing them, above many stairs. Its design was simple : it was carved out of white stone and bones, and it wore no decorations. A statue representing the goddess Zorl-Stissa stood behind the throne. There were alleys on the sides of the room, made for the nobles to discuss with the Emperor and watch the visitors. Today, the alleys were full of lizards wearing expensive clothings ; heads of nobles Houses and families, mainly from the House of War. There was no Dreamer in the room.

On the throne sat Issandra. Mahalia had somehow believe that she would find her to be a red scaled lizard, just like her son. But she was actually more yellow-ish. Her scales had been washed by slaves and goldened, but they were lustreless - a sign of age and unhealthy condition in the lizard society.

She was tall and had an athletic figure. Just like her son, she gave off an aura of authority and elegance, but she seemed condescending as well. She barely looked at Mahalia, her gaze focusing on her son as soon as he entered the room. She wore a practical armor and no jewelries. She was surrounded by two lizards, probably counsellors ; one wore the attire of an arch-priest of Zorl-Stissa, while the other looked battle-worn - probably a general of the House of War.

The room had fell silent as soon as the Red Prince came in. Usther knelt in front of the Empress and retreated in the back, closing the doors behind their backs. The tension was palpable in the room, but Mahalia forced herself to break free of the fights of will between Issandra and her son and to start searching her environnement for potential threats or exits.

There was not visible exit other than the doors, guarded by Usther and her men. They had been disarmed on their way to the throne, which was obviously not the case of the nobles attending the event. Their expensive clothings served to hide blades and parchments. Probably not nobles then ; assassins and warriors poorly disguised, most certainly. The roof was still carved open to let the light in, as there were no windows ; she could certainly fly up there if needed. But she distinguished a few shadows up there : it was probably heavily guarded too. It would be archers and sorcerers mostly, taking advantage of their position to wipe them out from far away.

Well, this was a tricky situation. She reported her attention to the Empress. If eyes could kill, the Red Prince would have been pierced over a thousand times by now.

" - To think that once, I carried you in my belly and believed you to be a gift from the Goddess. You, a traitor to your kind and to our Empire. My own, personal mistake, the one who brought shame to my House." Her voice sounded like gravel in a river, and she spoke very slowly, each syllab dripping with coldness and hatred barely contained.

" - I see you haven't changed a bit, mother", replied the Red Prince with the same tone. " As treacherous and manipulative as ever. I see you have even managed to usurp my throne. How convenient for you."

" - Silence, you worm !" suddenly yelled Issandra, all traces of self-control gone. The whole audience shivered, taken aback by her sudden outburst. Even Mahalia felt surprised by the aggressivity in her tone. The Red Prince did not move an inch and refused to comply :

" - I will not stay silent, mother, while you drive my Empire to failure. You were always a poor general ; too zealot, too arrogant. And as one can predict easily, today you are a poor excuse for an Emperor, trying to grasp what crumbs of power the Prophecy about me may have left you."

"- I have accepted to see you here only because the Assembly of the Thousand wished for a new trial", she replied. " - Inquisitor Issden, you are obviously wasting my time. It is clear to me that this worm is still the whimsical, demonic child he used to be."

" - Empress Issandra", Issden bowed, " as a reprensatitive of the Law, I must persist and point out that the trial needs to respect the rules of the Law. Rules which command that a fair jury composed of members from all the Houses is reunited to judge upon - "

" - Why would I take any advices from you, Inquisitor ? You, a little traitor, an opportunist filth. Is is not clear to everyone that you defend this worm only because your whore of a daughter laid with him ? Did you agree to this copulation of degenerates ? Did you hope - "

The Red Prince marched forwards the throne all of a sudden, his eyes flashing with anger : "- You will not speak of Sadha this way, mother !"

All the room got up suddenly, the fake nobles liberating their weapons and spells and arming themselves. Over the roof, the archers pointed their arrows at the Red Prince.

The Empress Issandra remained seated, glaring at her son with a soft smile. Mahalia shivered : she was so confident. She looked around ; no one behind them, apart from Usther. No visible tricks.

" - I will speak of this whore as I wish, worm, for she is nothing to me. As for you, your only purpose has been served. Now I know whom exactly is ready to betray me. I know their names and their families. There is no need for a trial. I have dealt with the Assembly already."

" - No ! Empress, this is going too far. You cannot bypass the authority of the Assembly - "

" - I can do as I please. The major representatives of the Assembly have been found guilty of treason -"

" - I challenge you." claimed the Red Prince calmly.

Issandra ignored him. " - and so your trial is discharged and your lives are put into the hands of the only true fair judge, the Goddess …- "

"- I challenge you to death. Come fight me if you are worth anything, snake", claimed the Red Prince louder.

" - and Zorl-Stissa decided…"

" - Zorl-Stissa decided nothing because she is dead !" cried the Red Prince now, his voice rumbling along the walls. " The Goddess is dead. We killed her. We killed all the stupids Gods. Issandra is lying to you all. Issandra has no power and no one for her. She is caught in a war against the Voidwokens that she cannot even win because she cannot unite any House under her reign. She is delusionnal -"

The room bustled with activity and a few arrows were shot upon the Red Prince. Some lizards on the alleys started to disappear in the shadows. This is bad, thought Mahalia.

" - Vaxx, have my back", she whispered. Vaxx nodded and started to move towards her. Ondra got close to the Red Prince, following her lead.

" - KILL HIM ! KILL THIS WORM ! I WANT HIS HEAD ! "

Then hell broke loose. The Red Prince leaped at his mother, fire growling around his claws, intent on casting a fire spell at her…

...Mahalia swung her ams, trying to invoke a bubble of protection around them, to survive the coming blades and arrows coming at them…

...Issden tried to join them but someone came at him and cut his throat..

...Vaxx fell suddenly, his torso pierced with arrows…

...and still, there was no spell. No magic. Nothing. No bubble of protection, no fire coming from the Prince.

Something was blocking their spells. Mahalia panicked. The Red Prince did not flinch, and started to try to take his weapon from the counsellor's grip…

And Ondra, with all the grace and elegance of a professional, put a dagger through his back.

The Red Prince froze, unable to move, and spat some blood. With grace, as if it was easy, Ondra withdrew his blade from his body and threw him down the stairs, where the Red Prince fell like a dead weight.

Mahalia watched the scene without being able to do anything. The crackling sound of electricity warned her than someone was unleashing an aerothurge spell at her and the rest of the men. Without any protection or means of counter-attack, they all fell.

It felt like a dream come true.

She woke up, ultimately.

She did not expect to, this time. After all, Issandra had been very clear about her intentions : she wanted them dead as can be.

Everything was painful. She had been burnt to the state of near death by arcs of electricity. However, her scales and flesh had been repaired. She should have a charred corpse by now. But there was only a tingle of pain, a memory of suffering.

She was in a cell, alone. She had no idea where exactly. It seemed like a common dungeon, but it was calm. During her adventures, Mahalia had visited a lot of dungeons. They smelled like rotten flesh, shit, fear, cheap, decomposing food. There were usually people, and often people that cried and shouted. But here, nothing. No sound. No smell. The cell was well organized and was actually...classy, somehow.

So, she was not in the dungeons of the Palace.

" - You are safe here. I wish I could say the same about your reddish companion, but I could not convince the Empress to let me take his body. I barely persuaded her to keep him around to be exposed and tortured in public, to display her authority. The idea was pleasant enough for her."

She turned around. She had not seen him before, but here he was, laying against the wall. Ondra, the lieutenant.

" - I suppose I should say "thanks.""

Ondra shrugged. " - There is really no need to."

Silence fell, as Mahalia decided to retreat into silence, trying to decipher her situation.

" - I suppose that is when I have to explain to the hero my identity and my plan," Ondra sighed.

" - There is really no need to", grumbled Mahalia. " - You have tricked us well. But there are two things that I don't understand. How did your survive our last encounter ? And how did you assume this...form ?"

" - Very legitimate questions. Let's be done with them, then. As for how I assume this form, this is pretty simple."

Ondra put a claw around his neck and started moving...one of his scales ? With a little "plop", something came off his neck. Mahalia recognized the mask instantaneously.

" - A shapeshifter mask". Her voice was dry. " - I can't believe we have fallen for it again."

Ondra was no more. The lizard behind the mask had black scales. Like shadows.

" - It only confirmed what I have already stated : I had overstated your intelligence. However, and unfortunately, the same cannot be said about your chances of survival. You did kill me that day…" he paused. " And it was quite unpleasant."

" - The mask...it only works on undead."

" - Yes. As I said, you did kill me."

"- I met an awful lot of undead. There were more...bones and rattles than you are."

The Prince of Shadows, for it was him, was indeed looking quite...alive. No open wounds. No bones. No decomposing flesh.

" - Oh, this is not the first time that I died. I have made my own insurances."

"- What do you mean ?"

The black lizard smiled languidly.

" - This is a little secret that I intend to keep. No sense in telling you everything about me, right ? Let us be professional."

" - Why couldn't we use the Source when we met Issandra ?"

" - I drugged you both when we had that charming little party at the Inquisitor's banquet. Really, it was quite easy. The Red Prince " - whenever he said his name, the Prince of Shadows had the same expression as someone trying to pick something annoying out of their teeth - " was desperate of any kind of attention. So I borrowed the figure of this young courtesan, Ioletta, and made sure he drunk what I prepared him. As for you, well, all I had to you was dance with you and apply the poison skin to skin. As I said, it was very easy. That is why you need me."

" - What do you mean ?" she asked. She remembered dancing with Ondra. She had even find him to be at her taste. She had let him touch her neck and hips for the dance. She remembered Ioletta too, flirting with the Red Prince. Oh, by the Source, that was so awkward now. If the Red Prince learned about that…

" - If I wanted you dead, you would be. Issandra was hard to convince. I had to use my most trusted men to change her mind. But I do not want you dead. I wished to teach you a lesson. A lesson of humility...Humility, yes, I suppose you could call it that way. In the case of the Red Prince, I must say that his humiliation brings me great pleasure ; I remember pretty well the sharpness of his blade against my neck, and I find this revenge sweet enough to satisfy me. Plus, he needed to be reminded of his place, so that he may be controlled later on."

He approached her, clearly enjoying the moment.

"- As for you, my dear, I found that you disrespected me when I met you at this human inn in Arx. Did you really think you could take on this Empire ? Did you really think you could kill me that easily ? I have warned you multiple times ; yet you never took me seriously enough. Now you're as good as dead and I guess my problem with the Red Prince and his child is taken care of, just as I wished it to be."

Mahalia looked at him blankly. " - The child…"

The Prince of Shadows shrugged and waved dismissively. " - I kidnapped it. Must be in here, somewhere. I figured I could keep it around until you wake up."

" - I see. I suppose you did not keep us alive only to gloat at us."

" - No, no. This is not my style. The gloating is only extra bonus. And I'm not done with it yet."

" - I have to guess that you wish to reiterate your deal to me."

The Prince of Shadows kept silent, but gestured her to keep going, raising one his left brow.

" - Issandra is unstable and she is not powerful enough to unite the Empire. And you see the interest of the Empire at long-term. If she cannot repel the Voidwokens, there will be no Empire to rule. The lizards need to unite with the other races - at least for waging the war against the Godking. That would be your obvious interest : you still need the both of us because you need someone to replace Issandra. I guess it must the Red Prince, after all. He had grown softer in his views of conquest, and considers his wife and children differently now. So you do not fear him anymore."

" - Indeed. He is not a threat to the Empire anymore. You have softened him. He is more...malleable than before. And since everyone is a sourcerer now, the balance of power is a little different. No more gods, after all. "

" - And you think that I am the key to manipulate him."

" - For now, yes. In the absence of his wife, it is only natural that he grows some affection for you, as a friend and ally. So, since I have you and his child, I guess that I am the one in charge of the Empire for now. Here is what we will do : we will let the Red Prince here. My men will extract him soon ; Issandra will not get her display of power, this will weaken her position. I have organized a meeting with the rebels from the House of Dreams, some men from my own organization, and the dissidents from the Law - dissidence that is all the more important since the Inquisitor was killed. The Red Prince will obviously not be in any state to lead the movement after a few hours of torture in his mother's dungeons ; so you will take the lead, you will invade the Palace as I have planned, and the Red Prince will have his public fight with Issandra, which I have arranged. He becomes Emperor, he unites the Houses of the city, he clears the Voidwokens outside. You see, I actually want the same thing as you. Except that I have the means to make them come true."

" - Sure," she replied.

" - After that, you will lead an army to join the forces in Arx against the Godking. I wish to be part of your group. I will bring some of my men. This is non-negotiable. I have business to attend to over there, and you will help me through."

" - Agreed."

" - Then I disappear of your life. The Empire is safe and all powerful. All is well that ends well."

" - Seems like a good plan".

" - Perfect. Then you remember what I asked of you at the inn ? I told you you will need my help someday, help that you so smugly denied."

Mahalia grimaced. She knew very well where the lizard was going.

" - You want me to beg."

" - Yes, I must say that it will please me. It is kind of petty, really, for I do not need that. But since you spat on my help and killed me...well, that would be a sore sight for the eyes. I really love this idea, don't you ?"

" - But technically, you still need us anyway. So if I refuse, it doesn't change your plans."

" - I might change my mind still. You see, I thought that you two needed some humility and caution. But how can I be sure that you truly understand this lesson, if it is not acknowledged ? It would comfort my heat to hear you prove this newfound humility."

" - I see. I guess that humility is an important virtue for leaders and kings."

" - Deeply so."

" - Then I…"

" - Oh, no, let's not be so quick about it. This is really an enjoyable moment for me." He massaged his neck painfully, and then flashed a languid smile. " - Please take some time to reflect on this and to prepare some nice speech for me. I love good manners in people ; I want to trust people with good manners, who do things right. For now, I think I am going to see the Red Prince. I will save him, of course...when you have done you part. But right now, I enjoy his screams a lot. They're probably cutting his scales away. Music to my ears."

" - You're awful."

" - I am feeling a bit petty, but it will pass. So when I come back, make sure to say something nice to me. It might change my mood. Until then...enjoy being alice, I suppose."

With that, he felt, and she did no try to hold him back.

" - Well", she whispered for herself. " What a great day."

She had no idea how to get out from this.


	7. Death and songs

chap 7

During the next two days, she saw Ondra twice.

The first time, she had mentally prepared a reasonable speech, aiming to appeal to his intelligence. " We should not waste our time in this way. The plan you have exposed is convincing ; why not get on with it ?" "I suppose I lacked respect once. But we were enemies then ; now we don't have to be. " And so on and so forth. Ondra had listened for a while, then laughed wryly and left without any comment.

The second time, Mahalia had managed to escape her cell by convincing a cat passing by to bring her the keys. The feat had not been easy, since the cat in question had a few conditions, one of which included listening to him talk about his love life and his passion for boats. She had always been a pet pal ; as strange as it may appear, it has served her well on many occasions.

She had wandered into the building. Apparently, she was held in some sort of dungeons under a rich mansion, surrounded by water. She was...in one of the main canals of the Forbidden City, on an island. Nobles loved to build villas there. This one had a nice plus over the other mansions, though : the discreet but quite omnipresent death fog separating its walls from the canal. No way to escape or to break in easily.

Across her journeys, Mahalia never found any spell or equipment that could protect a living one from this lethal fog. She backed down.

There were no guards to surprise and disarm in the mansion. She guessed that someone, somewhere, had to come here from times to times since the place was kept perfectly clean. The mansion was cozy and not as extravagant as most of the villas she had visited. It held a library, which she spent some time turning upside down looking for anything of value that she could craft together. The books were mostly encyclopedic ; some of them would have been highly sought after by any scholar. History, politics, philosophy, medicine, anatomy... The rest of the villa contained many such objects of knowledge, but nothing that could betray any hint at a personality. The only thing that seemed really important to the owner of the house was a wall of elvish artefacts. The artefacts were masks of...what looked like wood, but probably wasn't. Coming closer to examine them, Mahalia realized that they were made of old, elven flesh, so old that the skin had turned to bark. She gasped suddenly as she finally understood : those were faces. Marked faces, wearing the occult sign of slaves. Those used to be real people. The oldest one was so old that she couldn't even make out any facial features apart of the slave mark on the cheek. But the most recent one was clearly that of a beautiful, diamond-featured elven woman.

Mahalia closed her eyes for a second. By the Source, she had entered another maniac's dungeons. Since she had the pleasure of meeting Kniles at Fort-Joy - whom she remembered still the soft, creepy voice as he leaned in to admire her blue scales closer -, her life had been nothing but various creeps and maniacs butchering people's parts for pleasure, or, in the case of the Prince of Shadows, for...remembrance ? Art ? She could not guess.

She had to find a way out. If Ondra really was an undead, he probably didn't care much for the death fog ; that would make this place a perfect shelter or refuge. But since there was no trace of dust, that the animals of the place were fed, and since she was even bought here unconscious, there certainly was a way out. A tunnel, most probably. If only she could fly… ! But she had been unable to cast any spell since the meeting with Issandra. The Prince of Shadows had the upper hand on her for now, and he was clever enough not to give her any chances to turn the tables on him.

She pestered for a while as she searched over the place for any clues. Much to her distress, there was no hidden tunnel in the kitchen. Nor in the dungeons. No visible sewers either. She tried playing the piano - such a cliché, she thought, for a villain to keep a piano in his secret villa - but to no avail. She had a good feeling about the piano, still. After all, the elven faces were marked with the sign of slaves. Such occult signs were linked to music. It was probably even here, playing the same instrument, that he orchestrated his puppets. Mahalia was pretty sure that the right combination of notes could probably open a hidden passage somewhere.

She didn't find the right combination.

" - I see you have made yourself at home. Please, be my guest," suddenly said the Prince of Shadows, out of nowhere, in his drawling, annoyed tone. Had he sneak his way into in own house ? He gestured at the books gathered on the ground and frowned. " - I suppose you already checked for any escape. As you can confirm, I have made sure that there is none."

He walked over the books with grace and sat down on a couch, leaning his dark-scaled legs over the side of the armchair.

" - I invited very few people in this place before. I consider this house as one of my favorites amongst all the shelters and palaces that I own. It is very quiet. The very few people I bought here were…" he gestured to the elven faces on the wall "... Very special to me. I had to be sure that I could trust them. In a permanent way. "

Anger rose in Mahalia's chest as she observed the wall.

" - I had no idea you were into the "keeping-the-face-of-my-guest-around" kind of fetish", she hissed as she rose and walked towards him.

" - I dare say you have no idea about me at all. But I do love things that are precious and useful. Speaking of which...how are you, dear ?" He watched her, showing no sign of any tension or worry as she drew closer.

Without any reply, Mahalia threw herself over him, aiming her claws for his neck. Ondra instantly reacted and dodged the clumsy assault, gracefully dancing around her to get into position in her back.

She had known he would react that way. Rogues and assassins were always trying to backstab you. Considering how old the Prince of Shadow must be, especially if he was undead, it was probably quite an automatic gesture for him now ; he did not even have to think about it. Which was just fine ; reversing her movement, Mahalia now launched herself backwards. She felt her back bumped into the chest of the lizard and the resistance of the wall as she knocked into it. The shock was not strong enough to stun her adversary, though. She felt his hands moving for her neck and tightening around her, preventing her from breathing.

" - Now, now, easy…" she heard him say ; his tone was both amused and slightly irritated.

She hurled her head backwards two times. The first time, she missed his face ; the second time, she heard a crack and the pression around her neck strengthened. It was difficult to breathe now, but she could still endure it. While diverting the attention of her enemy, she searched his flank with her left hand, looking for any sort of weapon, that she presumed would be attached to his hips.

She barely touched something cold and metallic, like a dagger scabbard maybe, that she suddenly found herself laid down on the ground, her face buried into the floor. She felt something in her face snap. Her nose, probably, or maybe her jaw.

She didn't manage to grab the weapon. Her arm was bent over her back in a very painful way. She bite back a cry of surprise. He had acted really fast.

" - Coward ! You don't even dare to face me equally !" she shouted angrily, though her voice was muffled by the carpet it was buried in, which kind of ruined the sentence. " - Are you so scared of me that you can't even fight me properly ? Give me back my Source, and we'll see who is best !"

" - I do not intend to find out. I already know", he replied. He squeezed her arm a little tighter. It was painful. But she had seen worse. He probably knew it. She tried to move, but she felt the weight of his knee on her small back.

" - I could kill you in a wink", he pursued, whispering in a hoarse tone. " - And I probably should."

She didn't bother to answer and tried to get free from his grasp. But it was hopeless ; he was far more stronger than her, and without weapons or magic, she was quite useless. As his grip tightened, she was certain she heard the sound of a dagger being drawn. Suddenly it hit her. This maniac could indeed kill her. She wasn't exactly in her best configuration right now. She had presumed he wouldn't hurt her, since he seemed to crave her aid and her presence for his plans. But if she proved too troublesome, surely he would change his mind and find someone else.

" - Fine ! Fine, I'll say it", she finally said, seeing no way out for her. " - Please, I am begging you. *Please*. Let me go !"

He stayed silent for a while. She stopped resisting ; it was no use. She could only hope now to seize any opportunity that could help her out.

" - Pathetic", he finally said. " Unworthy of a Godwoken."

She felt the blade coming before it hit her. As he surged to stab her, his weight on her back was slightly unbalanced. She managed to break free of his grasp and roll on her side ; the blade cut through her shoulders, tainting the floor with red.

" - What in the Source…! "

She got up on her feet just in time to barely avoid another dagger launched in the air. The struggle resumed ; Mahalia soon understood that Ondra was holding his attacks back, barely grazing at her, but never really trying to incapacitate her. It was infuriating, but in the same time reassuring : so he still needed her for now. As for her, she never really managed to break through his defense.

Ondra shook his head sadly as he looked over her wounds and her posture. " - Were you really the hero that saved Arx ?" he asked sarcastically. " - Were you really ever powerful enough to be of any threat to anyone ?"

" - I told you : if you wish to have some fun, give me my Source back, and then I promise I'll make you dance."

" - Tempting", he said with a smirk.

" - But still you won't do it ! So you are indeed a coward", she said as she tried to smash a vase to pieces. She picked up the glass shards, hurting her palm, and readily tried to stab Ondra's chest with it.

As before, it didn't quite work out as she had hoped ; he smacked her on her nose with his elbow and she staggered backwards very ungracefully.

" - It so happened that you did already kill me, per say. So I guess I should make us even."

At a loss for idea, she went for an intuition :

" - Well, *he* would have done it. Because *he* is not a spineless little lizard dreaming about conquering the world, but an actual, worthy Prince !"

It was a purely gratuitous insult. But somehow, this one actually hit. Mahalia saw something in the eyes of the black scaled lizards. Since the Prince of Shadows had despised the Red Prince, it was a safe bet to assume that he would react negatively to anything involving him. But she had no thought that this poorly crafted insult would actually touch anything inside him : in his line of work, she supposed you had to be disciplined and self-controlled all the time.

The dagger hit her lungs in the second, the strength of the blow no more held back. Mahalia fell on her back, hitting the stairs harshly. It didn't quite snapped her neck though ; she had all the time to enjoy drowning in her blood as she choked for air, the blade stuck in her chest. She had already die that way before ; not the best way to go, but slightly better than being electrocuted to death or left to rot in acid.

She drew breath once again a few seconds after that event, opening her eyes into the same mansion. Stains of blood - her blood - covered the floor and the stairs, where she was pretty sure that she died She felt exhausted. She extended her arms and looked at her claws : her body was healed and seemed normal. She carefully grabbed the fabric around her chest and tugged at the hole at it : it was torn from the shock of the blade. And yes, she had a scar. Another one to add too her various collection.

She raised her head and looked at Ondra. He had gotten back to his sofa. His face was impassive and he was looking smug as ever, but Mahalia had a good perception of people. She could feel he was irritated. She noticed the used parchment of resurrection he had dropped on the table. So he still thought he needed her and the Red Prince, or he would certainly not have bother. Did he really despise Issandra so much ? She could not think someone such as the Prince of Shadows would endure their company and allow them to know of his existence only for that. He could certainly put anyone in the throne if he wanted to. There was something not quite right in his plans yet, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

" - Did it feel good ?" she asked dryly, after thinking for a while about what to say. " - Killing the Godwoken. It must have felt good."

" - Should it ? The only thing I truly noticed about it was that it ruined my carpet", he replied in his slightly drawling, derisive voice.

" - So", she said as she approached him. She stopped in her tracks in front of the sofa. Ondra looked at her with annoyance and then avoid her gaze. Well, that was new. " - I tried reasoning with you. I tried escaping this place. I tried, for the love of Source, begging you. Yet I am still here, and now," she gestured at her chest where the dagger hit " I suppose we are even. Please tell me we are even and that this, whatever it is -" she gestured at the mansion and at the blood covering the furniture " - is over and that I have satisfied your whims."

He sighed. " - Still, I found the show unconvincing and disappointing. You are far less enjoyable than my usual pets. All I have to do is sing them a song, and they dance and beg all I want...and they are better at it than you are. " he paused and looked gravely at her, visibly thinking about something without saying anything.

" - It is cause I am not your pet. Still, I can sing as well. I can sing for you", she began. She had no idea where this idea came from, but she saw the glimpse of amusement in the eyes of the Prince of Shadows. She pressed on, feeling she was on something :

" - A song I sung to no one before. You would be the first and the last. Here and now. Would that be an acceptable gift ? Would that be enough to show you I can brush my pride aside ? Would that seal an alliance between us ? "

" - _Oh_. Now *that* would be something that a man with fine taste could appreciate. A first and last song. Very well thought, Godwoken", he said, a smug smile tugging at his lips. " - Do begin whenever you feel ready."

 _This lizard really has problems_ , she thought for herself, before breathing in heavily. Time to truly brush her pride aside, and it was not easy. A part of her still wanted to fight and the other one was feeling outraged by the show. Reluctantly, she put one knee on the floor ; the dramatic posture seemed to please Ondra, as he somehow relaxed in his couch.

She started singing a song she had overhead Lohse sing in the humans inns they travelled through. The truth was that it was probably poorly sung, though she dared say she had a nice voice, and the story told in the song was quite banal. Something about a Hero braving death to save his lover's life. It was indeed the first time she sung it, and hopefully, the last too. So she was keeping true to her words.

Strangely enough, the Prince of Shadows listened to the melody closely, even humming along. As she finished her chant, he got up, bowed extravagantly in front of her and extended his claw to her. She hesitated but accepted it in the end ; with a push, he helped her back on her feet politely, before drawing away.

" - Such a lovely voice. Yes, yes, I really liked the song. It has a nice tune to it. Simple, yet efficient." He went directly to the piano and started playing a few notes tuned to the melody. He then smiled radiantly. " - Perfect. It is a great gift. I needed that."

She watched him uneasily. She was aware of his taste for slaves and his practice of the occult mark. In theory, the mark could not be traced upon any lizard ; it would not work. But in theory, the Prince of Shadows wasn't real and the Red Prince should be on the throne. Theories didn't quite cut it in the end.

" - Oh, rest assured", said Ondra as he noticed her look, " - I do not intend to add your face to my collection. Sometimes I like having some people dead, but you are not one of them. You, I wish to observe closer. Godwokens are fascinating. It is said that free will and a living body are parts of what make you so special. It is a bother, I will admit, but I am willing to let it be that way for now."

" - I am glad you see it that way", she whispered, trying to remain polite, even though the words "insane" and "get rid of him as soon as possible" crossed her mind.

" - I will be back later", he announced suddenly. " I still have to make some arrangements for our rebellious meeting. And as for now…" he paused. " I consider us even. And allies." He retrieved a flask from his pocket, and threw it towards her. Mahalia caught it wearily and observed the strange potion.

" - Drink it. It should give you back a bit of edge. That fight was tedious, to say the least. I barely managed to look interested, to tell the truth."

At the thought of feeling the Source and magic again, Mahalia quickly opened the flask and drunk it down. After all, Ondra had already killed her once. Surely he would not have bothered raising her from the dead if he had planned to poison her. Probably. The lizard was hard to decipher and seemed to have his own agenda.

" - Your equipment should be in here somewhere. Have fun finding it. I expect you will not try to attack me when I come back. Get ready in the meantime."

As usual, the black scaled lizard was making his way out without any look behind. Mahalia followed him this time and pressed on :

" - I am ready right now. And no offense to your property, but I really like freedom and fresh air."

He shrugged and fastened his step. " - Freedom and fresh air. In the Forbidden City. My, my, you really have been exiled for too long", he mocked.

He then jumped into the death fog, where Mahalia had to stop, feeling infuriated and a little left behind. " Wait -"

But there was no one to talk to anymore. She hated this habit of appearing and disappearing suddenly. It was so unnerving.


	8. Unlikely allies

" - Praise be the Source ! You are here !" Mahalia sighed with relief upon seeing the Red Prince.

Though there was not much to be relieved about.

During the night, the Prince of Shadows had come to find her and used a pyramid - just like the ones she herself owned, but with a violet, malevolent vibe to it - to teleport them...here. Which was, according to his words, an underground chamber belonging to a powerful mage lizard, Adha.

The chamber was occupied by the Red Prince when she arrived. He sat on a bed covered in satin silks...and blood. Three slaves - elves and dwarves, she noticed, feeling uneasy - were buzzing around him. One was washing his feet, another was stichting up an old wound, and the other was a hydrosophist ; he focused on healing the red lizard.

And healing he did need. His brilliant, lush, red scales had tarnished horribly. His eyes were sour and hollow, bruised in horrible ways. All of his bones in his arms had been snapped and bent in horrible ways ; though in the caring hands of the slaves, his left arm had regained his usual state. He was bleeding still, from multiple cuts along his torso and thighs.

She had never seen him in such a terrible state. She tried to maintain her composure, but she couldn't help a worried gasp. It just could not be. He was always so brave, so condescending, so sure of himself. So hot-headed and warrior-like. To see him wounded and tortured was awful already, but the worst was his expression. His face was hollow. There was no spark in his gaze. When he noticed her presence - for he seemed not to have heard her yet - he turned his face towards her, and she feel a shiver drawing down her spine.

His lips. They were stitched together.

She turned around to look for the Shadow Prince's face. She could barely see him in the dim-light ; he seemed to flicker between the shades and the room. He noticed her gaze and smiled vividly. The assassin not only did maintain his cool, but he seemed genuinely pleased by the situation. She fought back the urge to once again try to bleed out the lizard.

" - What happened to him ?" she asked icily.

" - As you can see, his dear mother wanted to Purge him from his Source in a most human way."

" - Is that still even possible ? We destroyed the Aeterna and the wands of Purge. We destroyed the Divine Order. How could she…"

" - Before you put an end to the Divine Order and Dallis, I fear that the Magisters planned a war against the Ancient Empire. You surely remember. I had been checking on their use of magic and technology for a long time ; as you know, the humans love to meddle with things they don't quite understand, such as the deathfog - a tool that was created by one our kind, Master Hannag. I believe you have met her ?"

" - I did", replied Mahalia, her throat tightening.

" - So did I. Twice, in fact. Once when she worked for the Empire...and again recently, when it was clear that the Empire needed her service once more." He paused. "Hannag needed some convincing, but ultimately she chose to serve Issandra. And she succeeded in creating a weapon that would Purge the shriekers and the Magister for us." He paused. " The war between the humans and the Empire had been cancelled, thanks to you heroic deeds, but Issandra saw another use for her charming devices. As for Hannag, now she can serve another purpose, more appropriate to our quest."

She glared at him, until he reluctantly added :

" - The Prince is fine. I believe he just learned the price of humility. He was retrieved by my men before the real Purging. This -" he gestured towards the stiches " - was just a foretaste."

" - These devices should all be destroyed", gnarled Mahalia. " The silent ones, the shriekers…" she closed her eyes for a second, forcing her memories back " I have seen it all. It is an abomination."

The Shadow Prince did not answer. Mahalia turned back towards the Red Prince and advanced towards him.

The servants were carefully removing the stitches away. Mahalia dropped on her knees, and firmly took the Red Prince's claw in hers. She looked deep into his eyes, searching for a sign of life and fight - and she found it, a far-away spark.

" - My Prince, " she said, her voice tight with emotion. She heard the Shadow Prince moved uncomfortably behind her. " - This will never happen again to you, I promise. I am deeply sorry that I failed you. "

The servants finished removing the stitches and healing the bleedings and the wounds. Slowly, the Red Prince blinked, and a single tear fell from his eyes. He didn't seem to have notice the presence of his nemesis in the room.

" - Mahalia", he said, his voice but a melancholic, suffering rasp. " It is I who failed you. Such as I failed Sadha and my child. We are all in the dark and the silence now. You should not disturb the silence. It is so quiet here" he initiated a gesture with his left arm, as if trying to gesture to his head. " - So quiet."

" - Your child is safe", she intervened softly, seeing as he fell back into silence. " - I have seen him and I know where he is."

This seemed to surprise the Red Prince. A flash of color flushed back on his cheeks, as his gaze seemed to regain focus.

" - Is he ? Or are you just another illusion perhaps, a trick performed by the devilish womb who delivered me to this world ? By my Empire, oh she used the tricks again and again, so that time would last forever in the silence."

She heard an annoyed sigh behind her, but the Red Prince didn't notice. He seemed lost in his thoughts.

" - I am no illusion, Prince", she replied in a whisper. " - I am here for you, as I have always been. You are safe with me now. Believe me."

She leaned forwards and gently kissed him on his forehead. She focused and charged her lips with Source ; the spiritual energy buzzed around his scales and the Red Prince inhaled sharply, like a drowning man barely rescued from the sea.

" - Oh, my", he said, his voice sounding more like himself already. He looked at his torso and his arms with surprise, and then back to her. The Source seemed to melt into his bones and his body, mending the wounds. He blinked again, and this time his eyes regained their gravity and their presence. " - What happened ?" he asked, looking quizzically at Mahalia. " - And where…"

Suddenly his gaze found the shades. In a moment, he was back on his feet, placing himself between the Shadow Prince and Mahalia. The servants, surprised, stepped back and retreated out of the room.

" - You ! I demand to know what you are doing here and how are you still alive !" roared the Red Prince, his muscles tensing.

The Shadow Prince moved forwards, revealing plainly his face. He was well-armed, wearing his combat suit. He said nothing as he held the gaze of the Red Prince with an insolent smile tugging at his lips.

Mahalia stepped in between the duo. If looks could kill, she would have been dead by now, as the two Princes locked gazes with each other as if they were fighting with blades.

" - I know it is going to seem crazy", said Mahalia quickly, " but we do not hurt him. We need him."

" - Dead. We need him dead", groaned the Red Prince.

" - He was the one who saved you from the Empress. As he saved me", she insisted.

The arguments didn't seem to convince the Red Prince.

" - He tried to assassinate me with his little, ridiculous pawns from the start. And he abducted Sadha. He is a traitor and a nuisance. My heart demands that he dies !"

" - While we are expanding on the list of my various mischiefs, this is probably the good time to add two things : the first one, I accompanied you wearing the face of Lieutenant Ondra. If I had truly wished you dead, you would be", said the Shadow Prince, taking a mask at his belt and showing it to the Red Prince. Recognizing a mask of the shapeshifter, the Red Prince looked back directly at his nemesis.

" - I do not see how proving how traitorous you are is supposed to make me change my mind."

" - Second one, I am the one holding your son's life in my hands."

The Red Prince exhaled and abruptly launched himself towards the Shadow Prince. Mahalia intervened just in time to refrain him. She was surprised at how weak he was. She easily pushed him back, as he shouted a few obscenities at her and at the Shadow Prince.

" - What is it with you, Godwokens, that push you to literally launch yourself, unarmed and without powers, onto my blades, I wonder ? It's such a display of stupidity." The Shadow Prince sighed dramatically. " - Now that the introductions are over, I should probably warn our host of your...revival. Her guests will want to see you soon."

Mahalia refrained the Red Prince from going after the lizard as he exited the room. As the door closed behind him, he lumped suddenly back on his bed, as if losing all strength. He placed his claw on his belly, as an old wound started bleeding again.

" - How could you do that to me, Mahalia ? He was standing right here. Right here ! Why would you...how could you...be on his side and not on mine ? Have you finally lost your mind to utter idiocy ? We should have slay him on the spot !"

" - I need you to trust me, my friend. Please. You cannot sincerely look me in the eyes and say that I would ever betray you. You know in your soul that this could never happen."

" - I -"

" - Look at me ! Look at me right now", she insisted, grabbing his shoulders.

The Red Prince fell quiet and confronted her gaze, searching for something.

" - Fine", he finally sighed. " I can feel your soul and I know your heart. I know you have no ill intentions. But Mahalia, this...thing...is a monster, and a threat to us all. What does he want with us ? What sort of deal have you made with the demon ?"

" - This is going to take some time", she replied, as she started explaining to him everything that happened since they were separated at Issandra's Palace.

She had only finished her explanations when someone entered the room noisily. Surprised, the two lizards turned around to face their foe or visitor.

A charming and tall female lizard stood in the entrance and glanced at the Red Prince with enthusiasm. She was wearing a sophisticated robe, all made of gold and jewels, and she walked seductively towards them. Her scales were a beautiful, dark purple. The Shadow Prince followed in her steps, but stayed away from them ; he was wearing the mask of the shape-shifter ; now that she knew it, Mahalia could recognize his ways of moving and his eyes, but otherwise, she would never have guessed who he truly was. He wore the appearance of a sturdy, green-scaled lizard.

" - Red Prince !" acknowledged the female lizard. She looked briefly at Mahalia, registering her presence, and instantly frown. " - Do you remember me ?"

The Red Prince looked at her with confusion. Fortunately, he had no time to feel embarrassed by the situation as the young lizard beamed with impatience and threw herself on the bed by his side :

" - Of course not. I bet you barely paid attention to me before. You were talking all the time of the "Red Princess"..."

" - I beg your pardon, my lady", intervened the Red Prince with a stiff tone, recoiling from her. " - I am sure we have spent some entertaining time together at some point, but this does not excuse such a lack of manners - "

At that, the beautiful lizard laughed heartily.

" - Oh, by the Seven, did you believe that - ? Oh, no, no, no. Oh, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault I suppose. So you really don't recognize me. I am Sadha's little sister : Adha."

" - And how exactly would I have recognized you ?" The Red Prince asked in a cold tone.

" - Because we are family now ! And I have seen you around, before your exile."

The Red Prince looked at her again, but didn't find anything to say. An awkward silence fell onto the room. Mahalia herself had no idea what to add.

The silence did not seem to bother the joyful lizard. She turned towards the Shadow Prince :

" - Oh, thank you so much Jared ! After all that happened...after Issandra executed my father…" Her voice broke a little on this, but she went on : " Anyway, my family is in dire need of help and it is clear that the evil bitch wants us dead. So, I took the liberty to gather here your followers, thanks to Jared's precious help - oh, Jared is one of my agent. Anyway, the thing is -"

The Red Prince and Mahalia exchanged a quick glance, ignoring the rest of her speech. Mahalia mouthed to him :

" - Is it true ? Is she really Sadha's younger sister ?"

" - I think so. I believed I have seen her before. And Sadha spoke to me about her. But..she could be another pawn. For *him*."

He leaned his head towards the Shadow Prince; who was looking casually at his claws.

" - Come on. If she had any idea who he truly was, she would not have named it *Jared*. ", said Mahalia.

" - I agree that * Jared * is not really an ominous signature still -"

" - Hey !" Adha voice chimed in, as she crossed her arms on her chest. " - I am right here. You could at least listen to me." She seemed to reflect for a second, and quickly added, with a more respectful tone : " Prince. Brother-in-law."

" - Please accept my apologies, Adha. I...am not in my ordinary state right now." The Red Prince quickly eyed the Shadow Prince, who ignored his glance.

" - Oh. Yes, sorry. I did not realize. After all, you've only just recovered. But...our guests are waiting."

" - Our guests ?"

Mahalia intervened :

" - Yes, I believe Adha and her friend have reunited individuals that serve your cause, Prince", she explained.

" - This is all…" he inhaled deeply and paused. " - This is a very good idea, lady Adha." As she beamed with joy, he got up and fought back a wince.

" - So I'll introduce you ! They are waiting for us. We must act quickly !" she said. " Please, follow me."

The Shadow Prince - or "Jared", for now - followed her with a coy smile.

Following the pair, the Red Prince and Mahalia arrived at a small, underground amphitheater. It was crowded with figures of lizards, all here to support the Red Prince. When they entered the Forbidden City first, they had been greeted by noble families ; but here, in the underground, the nobles were a lot fewer. As the Shadow Prince quickly explained, the lizards gathered here were people of power...but people that never bore a noble name. They were merchants, masters of guilds, mages, even Dreamers, for they had sent two of them. They were generals of the House of War, or artists protesting Issandra's reign.

They had to be fast. Even though the Shadow Prince assured them that this location wasn't known by Issandra and her forces, they could not linger in here.

At first, the Red Prince's presence managed to galvanize the lizards gathered here. But his speech became difficult after a few minutes, as he tried to hide the pain he was in after his torture. As planned, Mahalia took over, which gained her a few sideways glances from Adha.

At the end of the reunion - which lasted no more than two hours -, they had what looked like an army. Half of the House of War wished to join the Red Prince's side. Adha's family was of course sharing their men with them, or what was left of them after the Empress executed her father and started to hunt his men. Artistes, merchants, mages, Dreamers - they promised their mercenaries, their talents, their apprentices, their slaves, their allies.

Every day, the Empress was holding a ceremony in the name of Zorl-Stissa in her temple, located in the palace. The Dreamers had a way into an ancient waypoint, laying in the undergrounds of the temple. Its existence had been lost to time , but the Dreamers had searched the dreams and the planes for such a decisive advantage. A small group could hope to discreetly make its way to the gates from the waypoint and open it during the most exposed moment of the ceremony. Of course, Issandra would be on her guards with the disappearance of the Red Prince.

So, the question was : how would they gather their forces before the temple without being butchered down by Issandra's men... ?

" I may have a solution to offer", said a deep, grave voice in the crowd.

The lizards fell silent as one of them advanced towards the center of the amphitheatre, where Mahalia and the Red Prince stood.

" - I believe I can help you too", said another voice, feminine this time.

Mahalia looked at the two lizards approaching her with surprise, as she had not expected to see them ever again.

" - Well, well, what a deus ex machina", commented the Red Prince to her ears.

In front of her stood Hannag, the Sourcerer they had met and saved from the Magisters a long time ago. She looked proud as ever, although she had horribly slimmed down and her body wore traces of poor treatment, but she looked at them with a clear, confident gaze. She hold a small device in her claws, one that Mahalia never saw before.

By her side stood a tall, beautiful lizard, with pale and icy scale, wearing the armor and the manners of a knight. She could feel his Source from where she was standing. The knight performed a perfect, very polite bow.

" - Slane, " said Mahalia warmly. Finally, someone from her past that she could trust ! " - I have no idea what you are doing here, but I am very pleased to see you."


	9. The Red Prince is no more

As soon as the plan was settled, the reunion was adjourned.

They had decided how to proceed. A small party, led by Mahalia and the Shadow Prince, would take over the temple by accessing the waypoint and opening the gates from the inside. Hannag would take care of the mechanisms and would use her knowledge of portals and dimensions to help them get across the field quickly. The first part should not represent any real difficulty ; they would probably attract attention though, and would have to fight through various adversaries while Hannag broke down the mechanism.

On the other side of the door, there were Issandra's men, and they were numerous. However, the Red Prince had a Dragon Knight on his side ; Slane would easily fly over them in his dragon form and blast ice at them. In the meantime, Adha and other dissidents would surround the building from behind, making sure Issandra could not escape the trap. Ultimately, the Red Prince was supposed to chop her head off at some point.

" - Really ? Are you going to put it like that ?" asked Hannag skeptically.

"- What ? Is it not what is going to happen ?" answered Adha, as she got interrupted in a very vivid depiction of the Red Prince chopping a lizard's head. "- I've heard he does it all the time", she added with hope, beaming at her red host with utter admiration.

The Red Prince tried to remain unfazed, but an observant eye could perceive the slight sense of embarrassment oozing through his posture. "- Probably you've heard wrong. I don't spend my time…"chopping people's head off.""

" - You did it quite a lot, though", whispered Mahalia.

" - People's head do tend to get in my way, sometimes", he sighed.

On the other side of the table, the Shadow Prince, still appearing as a bulky, green lizard, pinched his nose between his claws.

" - Let us focus", said Slane calmly, and his stern and smooth voice made everyone look at him. He arched an eyebrow slowly.

" - Sorry, but I must ask : how are you here again ?" asked Hannag, arms closed on her chest.

The knight looked gravely at them, and gestured towards Mahalia. " - Once you saved me from the eternal slumber of captivity. I paid my debt to you. But then you saved Rivellon from the plans of Dallis and from Braccus Rex. And for this, I did not yet pay my debt. That is why I am here. To join you against the forces of the Godking. This is what a dragon-knight should do." He paused. " And I do not tolerate petty tyrants in my way. As for how I came here exactly...I flew here. "

" - Totally ! No tyrants here", bursted Adha, who seemed to be living the most exciting moment in her young life, but not quite to understand the subtlety of politics under an Empire. "- So...is the plan okay ?"

They all fell silent, considering their options, calculating their chances. Finally, the Red Prince said, his tone slightly drawling : " - If no one dares stab us in the back _this time_ , I have full confidence that it will work."

It was a plan made up in an underground cavern a few hours ago only, but Mahalia had to admit, it somehow was working well.

She was part of the team "waypoint". Their goal was simple : access the ancient waypoint, known only by the Dreamers, make their way through the old underground tunnels beneath the temple of Zorl-Stissa and activate the mechanism locking it from the outside, during the religious ceremony. Issandra was a firm believer of Zorl Stissa and maintained her reign with the help of the priests, so she was bound to be there.

Hannag was accompanying her, as well as the Shadow Prince, still wearing the mask of the shapeshifter to hide his identity from the others lizards. Hannag seemed to be very nervous, she was always fuzzing on some sort of mechanical egg she was transporting with her. Mahalia tried to ask her about it, but the lizard refused to say more.

" - I know you have saved me before, Mahalia, but let me be clear : we are not friends. I am only doing this coup to get back at Issandra. She hurt me before, and threatened what I loved best. This is revenge for me. Nothing more", said Hannag.

It sometimes seemed as if every damn lizard in the Ancient Empire had decided to give her the cold shoulder, reflected Mahalia. Her social life had been far more entertaining and caring in the human world than here. But what Hannag said was true : she was not here to make friends either, though she liked knowing who she was fighting with.

And, to be fair, she was not quite happy about her allies. Hannag herself was the inventor of the death fog and nearly committed a genocide, out of pure scientific curiosity and lack of empathy. She had changed since, but she remained a powerful Sourcerer and a clever lizard, not really keen on sharing her thoughts and secrets. She wielded magic as easily as she was breathing, and was even capable of opening portals to other dimensions, to bend space around a battlefield. Could she be trusted ? Mahalia would have to suppose that her hate of the Empress was sincere. She had no idea what the true extent of her power was. Neither did she know just what was her ultimate motivation.

Then there was the Shadow Prince. He had manipulated them to fail their first attempt at attacking Issandra, so that she would have to finally and reluctantly accept his help and his presence in the coup, after rejecting him in Arx. He was planning on multiple levels at the time though, and he had made it clear that he would keep power on the Empire and that they needed him to unite the lizards against the Godking. In a way, he was a beating heart of the Ancient Empire, in his manipulative and discreet way. To say he could not be trusted was an euphemism. Mahalia had participated in killing him before, but, as he mysteriously said to her, death was not really a final issue for him ; if he was truly undead or if some other magic kept him alive, she could not know. Just how old was he ? How was he still alive ? And what was his plan exactly in the long-term ? From what she saw, he was mainly a talented assassin, but he seemed to have other aces up his sleeve.

She did not trust either of them and yet she had no other options but to fight alongside them. It was weird, getting prepared to a fight with people who had committed murders on such massive scale. Especially after having passed so much time with the Red Prince. She was used to him, they both were suited to each other by now and knew how to anticipate an attack or a defense, how to position themselves and get the best from both their fighting styles. She did not have that kind of symbiosis with Hannag or the Shadow Prince. For all she knew, Hannag could teleport her in lava if she felt like it, and the Shadow Prince could easily stab her from a distance.

Hopefully, they did not go alone. Two Dreamers were accompanying them, to activate the waypoint. So, they were five in total. None of them seemed to be a full time warrior. So they would heavily rely on her invocations and they would have to be quick and efficient. As for their equipment, Mahalia and the Red Prince had to do with what their allies could offer them, since Issandra's men had taken their weapons before.

"- Are you ready ?" asked the Red Prince from behind her shoulder.

She turned back, carefully moving her borrowed shield on her left arm, and putting her wand by the belt at her waist.

" - I really wish we get our stuff back," she mumbled. " They were so much better than this."

The Red Prince smiled a little. " - In the hands of a great warrior, all weapons are dangerous. I bet you could bring a spoon to war instead of this ridiculous wand, and still win."

" - Oh, a compliment ? Thanks. Is anything special going on ?"

" - I am merely pointing to a simple truth. I do no want you to falter now." He paused, and briefly took her claw between his. " Mahalia...let me apologize for my rudeness the other day. You warned me about going directly to Issandra, and I did not listen to you. It was unruly and unworthy of me. I was not myself."

"- Maybe you're not so bad after all." She smiled, and freed her claw slowly. " - Anyway, technically we were not ourselves. Your old nemesis had drugged us during the banquet to prevent us from using our Source."

The Red Prince frowned. " - Oh, thanks for remembering me just how much I despise this coward. Be careful with him. He never brought us any good before. There is no reason for him to do so now. And if you ever have the opportunity to make him disappear somewhere...I am sure no one will miss him."

She nodded. " - Be careful too."

He smirked. " - Who needs careful when you have pure talent and dragons by your side ?"

The Dreamers waited for the group on the far end of the underground cavern.

Mahalia did not have to wait for long before being joined by Hannag and the Shadow Prince.

" - It's been a long time since the House of Dreams decided to do something in the real world", commented Hannag harshly. The tone in her voice clearly revealed her despise of the Dreamers. Mahalia wondered what was the story behind it, but the duo remained unfazed and focused on their objectives.

" - The location of the waypoint beneath the temple had been lost in the past generations", they explained. " We lizards devolved from dragons, and our goddess Zorl-Stissa used to be one too. But our ancestors got too powerful and power-hungry, and all the other races of Rivellon rebelled against them. To avoid the extinction of her children, Zorl-Stissa accepted that they would take the form of lizards and that their memories of their glorious past be erased. She herself changed her form to match us. The waypont gives way to the ancient lair of our ancestors, before they devolved into the lizard form. The location has been abandoned for centuries and only survived in the dreams of ghosts long gone."

Hannag sighed and rolled her eyes, before turning to Mahalia. " - Are you really going to be the leader of these wackos ? I mean, they make absolutely no sense. You have yourself revealed that Zorl-Stissa was an Eternal, merely farming her followers to absorb the energy from their souls. How could she have been a dragon ? I really don't get it. I mean, you managed to get a real life-sized Dragon-Knight with you. He looks like us, but he smells different."

" - As she was an Eternal, she merely copied the forms of life around her. Maybe she truly created her children as dragons, as in creating them to match their form, but not their essence." Mahalia frowned. " - I have always wondered myself about the legend and the prophecies of our people. I do not know what links us to dragons. I thought dragons left Rivellon a long time ago. I don't even understand how Sadha could birth dragons. "

" - What do you think ?" asked Hannag, turning back to the Shadow Prince who kept mysteriously quiet during the argument.

" - I think we are wasting time."

" _\- Great."_

" - If you are all ready...we can visualize the waypoint."

Before any of them could add anything else, the Dreamers closed their eyes and manipulated a very small statue of Zorl-Stissa between their claws. The next second, they were all standing in a pitch black cavern underground. One the Dreamers chanted a few words and created a small fire circle around them, illuminating the room.

They were standing beneath a massive statue depicting Zorl-Stissa. Or what could have been Zorl-Stissa before devolving to her lizard form. Mahalia stood back to get a good look at the statue. It was strange to watch the face of the goddess who had tried to steal her body and soul for herself. She had worshipped her before, and had welcomed her presence in her soul with grace and admiration. She had no idea what a monster the goddess was. The statue was beautiful. She looked alike a dragon, such was true, but some traits were definitely off. Now that Mahalia had seen a true Eternal in front of her eyes, she recognized the delicate and irrationnal angles on her face, on her claws or scales. As if she was going to shape-shift into another thing. As if she was still living somehow, even in the stone. The thought disturbed Mahalia, and she shivered uneasily.

" - Wherever we're going, we're not going there on foot", noticed the Shadow Prince. Mahalia glanced at what he was referring to.

They were standing on a platform of rocks. Around them was a pitch black void. She tried to get a good look at it. It would be a huge fall. Their voices echoed across the massive room. Mahalia glanced back up, trying to understand her environnement. It looked like they were in an underground antechamber. The story of the Dreamers may be right, because nothing here was built on a lizard-scale. Everything was huge.

" - What was this room supposed to be ?" she asked the Dreamers.

" - It was a place where our ancestors would rest, while their slaves bathed them and tended to their needs."

" - Our ways of life did not change much overtime", remarked the Shadow Prince. He backed off a little on the platform, focusing on something in the dark, and gained some momentum to jump into the void. Mid-air, he bounced back on a wall of stone and used the momentum to teleport himself on top of another platform.

" - Impressive", commented Hannag dryly. She joined her claw and illuminated the path the Shadow Prince just took. In the faint light, they could now see a few other platforms forming a sort of stairs up the antechamber. And Mahalia could swear that she heard water down. A long way down.

" - I cannot teleport you there. It is out of reach." she said. " - And no way I'll make this acrobatic jump myself."

" - We'll use this", replied Mahalia. She revealed one of her pyramids tied to her belt. She took it into her claws and activated the panels, focusing her mind on the pyramid the Shadow Prince owned and had shown her a few days ago.

The trick worked. The pyramid teleported them to the Shadow Prince's location.

" - The exit is up there," he said calmly.

" - And how exactly would you know that ?"

He smiled eerily but said nothing back. Not that he had to, though, because the group got distracted by a sort of tremor coming from the platform they just left.

As Mahalia turned around to watch what was going on, she felt nearly instantaneously a kind of buzzing in her veins and bones. Source. There was Source nearby. And where there was Source…

" - Voidwokens !" cried one of the Dreamers, taking up a fighting stance.

The tremor ceased as soon as the Voidwoken beast finished ascending from the depth. It looked like the Leviathan Mahalia had fought. Massive, serpent-like, and its skin was oozing different elements : acid, ice, crackling of electricity and...yes, lava, because why not ? It opened its massive mouth and spit on their platform. From the spit slowly formed other, smaller Voidwokens. These ones were insect-likes, with wings like blades and sharp talons.

" - Not again", mumbled Mahalia.

The things moved around with speed, but they were not quick enough to avoid the first attack from the Shadow Prince, who gracefully jumped to the back of one of them and cut off one of its wing. The creature fell to its side, making itself an easy prey to pick off.

The other insect on the platform launched itself at Hannag, who was the closest one to it. The attack bounced across her magical protection, but it was strong enough to light a spark of worry in her eyes. Those Voidwokens were powerful.

Mahalia breathed in sharply and invoked an innate out of earth and mud, to counter the aerial attacks of the insects. The creature launched itself at the Voidwoken attacking Hannah and tore through its defenses ; now vulnerable, he just had to be finished off by the Dreamers, who relied mainly on elemental magic. Mahalia killed the other one herself, opening her claw to steal its lifeforce away from it. Weakened by the sneak attack of the Shadow Prince, the creature was easy to deal with.

The first round had been quick and efficient, which was good for them, because the leviathan left them no respite ; it was spitting again, this time hurling balls of liquid lava on the platform.

This thing, whatever Void it crawled from, was launching lava at their faces. Mahalia hated lava. It reminded her of her laborious escape from the Nameless Isle. It was not fun.

Mahalia barely dodged the attack, and she felt her back getting warm really quick. Just behind her was now a pool of lava that would continue to drip along the platform. One of the Dreamers did not manage to get out of the line of the leviathan in time, though, and cried horribly as he literally melted from toes to head.

" - Hannag ! " Mahalia shouted. " - Get us out of here, now !"

" - No need to order me around, I don't want to stay here either !" she replied back, backing off from the ooze of lava dripping between her feet and quickly moving her claws in a dance know only to her.

" - Can't you just use the pyramid again ?" asked the last Dreamer.

" - Not in combat like this. Can't get the direction and the focus straight in this mess."

Hannag opened her arms and a portal opened just in front of her, and another one on the platform upside them. " - Time to go !"

Mahalia ran towards the portal, but another Voidwoken suddenly stood in her way and its talon came right at her torso. She managed to get her shield up just before it hit her, and it deflected most of the blow, though she felt a bit stunned by the sheer force of the impact.

" _Godwoken. You filthy vermin. Traitor. You abandoned us. "_

The voice was obviously familiar. Voidwokens had spoken to her before. But it sounded even more familiar now. Was it...Wendigo's voice ? Or...another one...Fane's voice ? The weird skeleton she met at Port Joy and left there to die ?

Whoever voice it was, it was not important right now. A dagger crossed the crane of the creature and it fell to its side, dead on the spot. The Shadow Prince gestured to her to move faster, which she did.

Not too soon, too, because another ball of lava was spit towards her direction...and just between her and the portal.

Hannag and the Shadow Prince both looked at the path in between them, covered in lava. " - I can't hold the portals for long", said Hannag blankly, pointing to the lava getting close to her.

" - Just go ! I'll meet you there."

The Shadow Prince nodded and crossed the portal, and a relieved Hannag jumped through it seconds before lava hit her spot.

Mahalia focused and changed her physical form, adopting the wings of a bird as the scales on top of head turned into moving, living snakes. She jumped and unfolded her wings, and went straight to the other platform.

The other platform was a mess too, crawling with Voidwokens already. The tremors coming from the void down them only got louder and louder, as the leviathan-creature moved towards them.

" _Traitor. You know the truth. This is not your world. This is not your world."_

The Voidwoken that spoke suddenly appeared in front of her. It was...falling from the ceiling ? It unfolded its wings and tried to bite her ; she aimed for the ground where she let herself fall to dodge the blow, and rolled back up. With one hand, she claimed a protection spell on the group, which was a little too late to save the last Dreamer's life from multiple blows.

Hannag was massively teleporting the beasts in the lava pools beneath them, clearly enjoying her tactics. Nothing beats teleporting your ennemis straight into magma. The Shadow Prince was trying to cut down their numbers by moving around the platform and maiming the monsters. Focusing on herself, Mahalia raised her arms up and huge droplets of blood started falling from an invisible sky. Each droplet was like a blade. Soon the whole area was covered in dark, stenchy blood and even the leviathan seemed to suffer damages from the spell.

" - A little too tacky for my tastes", commented the Shadow Prince, teleporting behind an enemy and plunging his daggers through his torso.

" - Gross", complained Hannag as she wiped another Voidwoken into the lava.

" - But it does the job", replied Mahalia, focusing her mind on a nearby corpse and setting it to detonate, finishing off the last Voidwokens on the platform.

A rain of entrails and putrid viscera spread on the floor. The Shadow Prince took the opportunity to switch his dagger for a bow, and aimed at the head of the leviathan.

Not very surprisingly, the monster inclined its huge head towards them and spat another set of lava straight to them.

" Thief. Liar. You stole from me."

" - They really do like talking to you, eh ?" cried Hannag to her, as she was quickly forming another portal. " - Jump !"

That's when Mahalia realized.

The intonation of the voice was different. It was not talking to her. It was talking to the Shadow Prince.

The lizard did not show any signs of recognition as he jumped through the portal. Mahalia followed him through, and quickly whispered to him : " - They're talking to you now, aren't they ?"

He glanced at her and at the portal behind them, waiting for Hannag to join them. " - The Void tries to take on recruits all the time. The Godking had sent emissaries after me, yes. I suppose he does not take well what I have done to them."

" - He said you stole something from him."

" - My dear, I stole things from all sort of people all the time. Anyway...now is not the time to talk", he said as another set of Voidwoken appeared.

Mahalia invoked her bone widow to drag the enemies away. They would have to make short work of the leviathan to be able to emerge from the antechamber. She spawned a set of bone totems around the platform ; their reach was long enough to be able to aim at it, though their attacks seemed too weak to threaten the monster.

Hannag launched a firestorm at the head of the leviathan, and the magic crackled as it began to tear through its magical defenses. The lizard smiled smugly, just before the platform they were standing on shattered and exploded.

The monster had twisted its tail around the base of the platform and cracked it down.

Mahalia fell backwards suddenly, and her shield slid off her arm. She tried to protect her head from the blows of the rock, but something hit at her head and cracked opened an old wound. She was falling. She could not fly up again ; the spell had been used too soon for her to draw on it again. Hopefully, she always had a teleport spell in memory, just to get out of situation like this. But falling in the void, she could not set her eyes into any surface long enough to be able to project herself into it. She saw a brief flash of light on her right ; a portal, probably opened by Hannag to get out of trouble. Mahalia understood that there was no dodging that one. She quickly launched a spell of living-on-the-edge.

As she fell into the water down, hitting the surface like a rock and breaking her bones, she recalled that the spell was strong enough to enable her to survive through anything that should have killed her. But it was not strong enough to prevent the physical wounds from happening, nor the pain. She gasped in the dark, cold water, which was not a good idea. Rocks continued to fall besides her, blocking her view. The necromancy spell would only last so long and she needed to get back at the surface before getting drowned.  
She swam up as much as she could and let the flow of the water pushed her away from the falling rocks. Aiming at the leviathan, she breathed in and sucked in some of its lifeforce. Pro : it enabled her to heal from her wounds and she felt much better. Con : that meant the thing noticed her.

Quickly, she cast a shackle on the leviathan, linking its lifeforce to her. Everytime it would try to hurt her, it would hurt itself too. Which was a good move, since the next thing the leviathan did was hurl another spot of lava at her. She could not even begin to dodge it ; she felt herself both melting and magically resisting the blow, transferring the damages to the Voidwoken. If not for her ability to avoid death for a few seconds, she would have died. But right now, she had the time to grab a scale from the monster's body and to lift herself up, just in time before her spell ended.

Everything was going well before the creature started to spasm from pain. She tried to remain attached to it, but she was not strong enough and the movement sent her back into the water, luckily out of the lava's way for now but not out of the huge snake way as she was watching it fall down back towards her. No way she was going to be fast enough to dodge this.

She plunged into the water and felt someone grasping her. The next thing, she landed not very gracefully on the top of another platform, as Hannag quickly closed another portal behind the Shadow Prince. A last splash of water washed over them as the monster finally died.

Mahalia got back to her feet and shook her head. " - Well, that was very close. Thanks."

" - I did not believe you could have survived that", replied Hannag. " But I suppose Godwokens are resilient stuff."

"- They just do not die", commented the Shadow Prince. " It is quite irritating, really."

" - And you speak from experience."

After checking that everybody was healed and alive, they jumped to another platform and finally made it to the exit of the antechamber.

The exit was a closed gate, covered in dust and spider webs. But Hannag made short work of it, activating some levers hidden in the walls to get it opened.

They passed through the gate and into a dark tunnel.

" - I suppose we're nearing the actual temple now", said Hannag. " Too bad we lost the Dreamers. They knew where to go."

"- Fortunately, I can lead you to the mechanism myself. Follow me", intervened the Shadow Prince.

Mahalia and Hannag exchanged a curious glance. The other lizard seemed unsurprised by the architecture of the temple, as if he had roamed this very place before. It was convenient, though, because in a few minutes they got through the tunnel and up some old, rusty ladders, until they managed to slip through some hidden secret passage and crawled up another tunnel, this time leading into the mechanical room where the wheels and levers controlling the outside door were.

Outside, they could hear a distant roar. Slane, probably. And the echoes of a battlefield. That meant they were late.

They were not alone anymore though. The room was patrolled by a few priests accompanied by soldiers.

" - How long for you to get control of the mechanism ?" asked Mahalia.

Hannag examined quietly the room before backing up to their hiding spot. " - Ten minutes, maybe. Does not seem very complicated. I'll need you two to keep the patrols away from me. I suspect that as soon as we make our presence known, we'll have everyone in perimeter onto us. It might get rough."

"- We'll manage", replied Mahalia calmly.

"- Let's dance, then", added the Shadow Prince as he gracefully moved into the shadows, invisible to the eyes.

Hannag looked once last time at Mahalia and, on a common nod, they both got out of position to jump into the room.

On the other side of the gate, the Red Prince was having fun. Wearing a two-handed blade, he cautiously moved around the battlefield, his abilities enhanced by a few pyrokinetic spells, to maintain his attention sharp and steady.

He had made a regal arrival. Slane, in his dragon form, had began the attack and caused distraction amongst the soldiers of the Empress. It was not a really good plan. Used to establish complex strategies and able to beat armies of ennemis from afar his sofa, the Prince knew their plan had too many variables to be reliable. But he learnt, during his travel with the Godwoken, to sometimes accept to make do with what you have. It has been a long time since he had control over anything, really. He had no truly missed his gilded cage. He loved roaming the lands and the battlefields himself, and felt like he had changed so much since his exile. Now he looked over the ancient temple of Zorl-Stissa, where had had sometimes agreed to go to satisfy his mother's will. He looked at his White Library, on top of the spiralled tower where he had lived. Where he had been caged. Trapped he was no more. And, even though he put a lot of effort into maintaining a smug face, because he still enjoyed the various reactions his graceful contempt provoked around him, his soul rejoiced no more in the sightings of his old power seat. His thoughts were only of his Princess, and of his children, still kept hidden into the Dreamer's plan, far away from the Godking and his pets. As long as this threat was not dealt with, he felt he could not find peace. His royal duties spanned over so much more than he had once desired. Power was not a final goal to him. It was a tool. It was who he was. But the secret of his soul was love. If his old companions were here - Lohse, Ifan, Mahalia - they would probably smirk gently at him. "Never believed you to be such a romantic", would comment Ifan with a soft chuckle. The Red Prince always put a show of belittling the human in front of Mahalia, when in truth he had enjoyed his gruff company. He was refreshing. If only he had not put such stupid ideas in the head of Mahalia, with his plan of sharing the Source to everyone in Rivellon. Mahalia should have been Divine by now. That was the only way to easily repel the Godking. Plus, she deserved to be revered. Humans could be so short-minded. Lohse was different. He had always liked her. She was annoying, at times. He realised with time he appreciated the demon inside her. Adramahlik. He had always rejoiced in competition and intelligence, and the demon lacked none of these qualities. He had admired the bard for being able to resist the sway of the demon for so long, and for finally killing him and setting herself free. The Red Prince would never be able to be free like Lohse did. He realized that by now. Fortunately, none of his companions noticed his internal evolution, not even the noisy Mahalia.

The streets were busy as various fights erupted. At first, the soldiers of Issandra were surprised by the arrival of a dragon covering the area in ice, and the allies of the Red Prince - dissidents from the House of War and rebellious families from the House of Law - covered some ground to get close to the temple. But Issandra's lizards were still soldiers from the House of War, and they quickly started to organize themselves. The fights turned into battle in the streets. The Prince had never thought that he would have to claim his title this way. Bringing swords and blood into the very streets he was supposed to protect. Moreover, he did not relish the idea of a political coup while the Forbidden City was attacked by Voidwokens. If he did not win, Issandra would be too weakened to efficiently repel the Voidwokens, and the city could fall. There was only one outcome he considered possible : finally vanquishing her, or die trying to. But he would not die. His death would have to be far more dramatic than that.

Mahalia was late. They should have opened the gates by now. He completely trusted her, though, and did not worry much. She was his most sincere friend, she would find a way. But he would appreciate if she could find a quicker way.

Finally, the gates started to open. Screaming, Issandra's men tried to reunite in close ranks to prevent them from entering the temple. But what could they do against Slane ? The powerful beast, everytime it lunged at their ranks, created chaos and wiped dozens of lizards. The Prince admired the knight. He would have loved his son to accompany him now, as such was his legacy. But his child was still kept captive by the Shadow Prince, to ensure his compliance. The very thought disgusted the Prince. His old nemesis had finally succeeded in his plan. In the mind of the Red Prince, it was very clear that there could only be one prince in the Forbidden City, and that the title was already his. He waited eagerly for an opportunity to kill his nemesis once more. But he would have to be patient.

Slowly but steadily, the Red Prince and his allies tore through the barricades, until finally he set foot on the white marble of the temple.

" - My son. My dear, dear son."

He looked back. On the other side of the battle, there was his mother. She was heavily guarded, but still, he knew he could take her down, for such was his destiny.

" - Mother", he greeted her back, keeping his voice smug and polite.

Issandra looked at him with the same composed face he had. She had been the one to teach him how to lie, how to keep up appearance that wasn't his, how to manoeuver a court. So he knew every one of her expressions. He knew how difficult she kept control over her emotions, how hard it was for her to look steady and confident while her insides were boiling inside her, while her tail was slightly too rigid in its movement because otherwise she would tremble or shake, and that would be a sign of weakness. His mother was afraid. She was terrified of him. She had been from the days he had won wars, from the days he had summoned demons only to find beings capable of matching his abilities and spirit. She was since he was born and the sun turned red around him.

" - Shall we fight again, son ?" she asked dramatically, opening her ams to seize the battle. Slowly, the soldiers on both sides turned their attention to their exchange, and disengaged, sensing that something important was happening.

" - Shall we fight while our very walls are under attack right now ? Shall we fight under the eyes of our goddess ? Is that who you came to be : an _usurper_ , trying to steal power for himself, not recognizing the judgment of his elder, his trial, or upholding the traditions of the lizard-kind ?" She sighed, calculating every inflexion in her voice to pretend to be saddened by this turn of event, while she was trying to turn his allies against him.

" - We shall fight, Mother", he replied without hesitation. " We shall fight, and try no more to discredit my claim to the Empire. The prophecy is on my side. I was always the one meant to be. You were just…" he waved a hand with contempt, searching for his words. "...a _sad appetizer_ for what our Empire is meant to be under my reign."

Behind him, the soldiers started to chant slowly " Usurper. Usurper. Usurper."

Behind Issandra, the soldiers got agitated, and tried to match the chant of his allies. " Exiled. Traitor !"

Issandra slightly paled. She was wavering. She knew it was the end. Yet she did not accept it. The Prince did not hesitate. He launched himself at her. Quickly enough, like he thought she would, the Empress gestured for her men to protect her.

" - Dear mother", he shouted as his sword was countered by one her bodyguards. " - Are you so old and rusty that you can't fight for yourself anymore ?"

A crackle of electricity run towards him, which he deflected with his gauntlet. Someone tried to get behind him to stab him, but he heard a "woosh" sound as the trespasser got teleported somewhere.

His mind blanked as he minced through the bodyguards. He vaguely noticed the support of his friends. Blood soon drenched his armor. Spells were waved against him, and repelled by other spells protecting him. He decisively made his way through the soldiers, and sighted his mother a few steps away. Someone tried to block him from her and advanced towards him, but suddenly got his throat pierced and fell to his knees.

Finally, his mother faced him.

" - Son…", she only said, and this time the sadness in her voice was not a mask, this time she could not find the strength to pretend. " - A demon you really are, to strike down your own mother, the womb that brought into this world !" she spat at him with utter contempt.

The words should not have affected him, but they did. She was afraid of him. " - I find it fitting that, as you were the first face I saw in this world, I shall be the last one you see", he said with fake arrogance. His mother paled and surged towards him with her blade ; he parried easily.

Soon they were dancing around each other. " - At least I shall die with honor !" she hissed through clenched teeth.

" - There is no honor in losing", he replied, and found himself surprised to think it was true. He manoeuvered her defenses, and dodged just in time as she made a quick movement he had not foreseen. Her blade brushed against his flank and opened up a recent wound. He took advantage of her opening to get under her defense and his sword pierced through her shoulder and cracked through her torso as he put all his strength in the blow. Issandra's face turned very pale as blood started dripping from her lips. Her claws shook and she tried to put another blow at him. Surprisingly, she succeeded and he felt her blade biting at his insides and entrails. Issandra smiled a little at that. The Prince breathed in deeply, pushing away the pain, and twisted his blade. The Empress cried out in pain. He grabbed the hilt of the weapon and tore it back at him, in such a violent gesture that the sword broke bones. When his blade came out of Issandra's torso, an aggressive stream of blood started to erupt from her. He cut down an artery. She would died quickly now. It was a question of seconds. In the dazing and confusing fog that began to take control of his mind, he heard voices shout his name. " Emperor" "Prince" they would say. He registered Mahalia's voice, close to him, but could not be bothered to care. It took all his will to remain standing. It was not the pain, nor the blade in his entrails that captivated him this way. It was his mother's face as she slid down on the floor, paler and paler, and she tried to speak between gasps.

He took the hilt of her blade between his claws and removed the sword from his belly. Firmly, he pushed away his insides with a claw, to keep everything where it was supposed to be, and knelt down by her side. " - Mother", he called, taking her claw between his. His voice shattered slightly. He had hated her with all his soul. But still he had put her down. Flashes of his childhood passed through his mind. Mother teaching him manners. Mother introducing him to his personal slaves. Mother narrating him the prophecy around him.

" - I wish…" she spat some blood at his face. " you were...never born."

Such were Issandra's last words.

Still feeling dazed, unsure of how he was actually feeling, the Prince slowly got back on his feet. He felt magic at work as healers were taking his pain away and closing the wound.

He looked across the temple, and, finally, everything was as it should be.

Armies on both sides had fallen silent, compelled by the last conversation between the Prince and his mother, unknowing of what they could have possibly said - no one could have heard. Every lizard looked at him, some with anticipation and admiration, others with hesitation and fear. The sun beamed in the skies above, gracing him with its light, as it was meant to be. He knew exactly what everyone was seeing right now : a true heir, the Spouse of the Sun, their rightful ruler - and a demon too, a powerful Sourcerer coming back from the death they thought would welcome him.

In his mind, he had thought about this moment and prepared the words he would say. But right now, his thoughts could not stop on any strings of words. He has always thought that sheer contentment with fulfilling his destiny would transcend him then. There was nothing transcending him. He could not even fathom if he was content. He searched for Mahalia's face. She was behind him, looking at their enemies, probably to protect him if someone decided to resume the battle. She always knew what to say and, more importantly, he always knew what to say when she was nearby. Feeling his stare at her, she quickly glanced at him. He could not decipher her expression, and he knew she could only guess at what was going on through his mind. She knew him well enough to sense something was wrong. As soon as a spark of worry light up in her beautiful, stupid blue eyes, he turned his back on her and said, his voice calm and composed :

" - From now on, you shall call me the Red Prince no longer. Correct ways of addressing me would be " the Emperor ", "Your Highness", "Majesty of all lizards", "ruler of the Ancient Empire". This day shall be the day I achieved my destiny, as the prophecies once foretold. Tomorrow shall be the day our Empire thrive again and take its place back into the world. But for now", he added, as rounds of applause and cries erupted in the room. " for now we eradicate the Voidwokens once and for good, and I shall tolerate no further division amongst the city."

" - The House of Law stand by the Emperor ! " shouted a voice in the crowd. Adha's voice. The young mage had survived the fight. " Long may he live !"

" - The House of Dreams stand by the Emperor that was promised", added Mahalia in a strong, clear voice.

His subjects - for that was their role now - were buzzing around, some of them started to kneel, to show their respect. On his side of allies, one unknow lizard chanted : " The _true_ House of War recognized the Emperor !"

But on the side of Issandra's men, the soldiers were hesitant. He did not envy them. They were stuck between a rock and an Emperor. On another day, he might have order their execution. But deep inside, he knew it was not a good way to start off his reign. He needed their force and their numbers against the Voidwokens. He probably could organized the strategy so that their leaders would find a glorious death on the battlefields later. But the lizards stared back at him in fear, their leader taking no words. He would have to fight them, then. And that would continue the civil war, while he needed union in his city.

" - The House of Shadows stand by the Emperor".

Silence fell in the room once more. Every lizard had grown up to the terrifying tales of the House of Shadows, but everyone knew it was merely a legend...a legend that everyone feared to be true.

The Shadow Prince had taken off his mask and revealed himself in the crowd. His sudden appearance pushed lizards away from him, and he was soon visible by everyone in the room.

The Red Prince did not show any sign of surprise and dissatisfaction, even though he clearly felt both the insult and the help that his nemesis provided him with. He wished he could disembodied the black-scaled lizard right now. Would it be a bad political move ? Their stares locked, and, from the slight smile tucking the lips of his rival, he knew that the Shadow Prince understood his hidden anger.

Tension and silence lasted for a minute. But the Shadow Prince added nothing more, leaving every lizard to muse over the declaration : what is a poor joke, or was it a huge revelation ?

Finally, the men of Issandra bowed down. Reluctantly, but the union of so many Houses against them did not bode well for their short-term future, and they were still lizards of the Empire ; traditions had to be respected, and the revelation of the House of Shadows itself was stronger than everything. Blankly, their leader said : " The House of War stand by the Emperor."

Everyone could sense each other's relief at that, and, like a wave forming from a ripple, every lizard in the room took to their knees and knelt before him, as was meant to be.

The House of War first.

Then the House of Law.

The Dreamers.

Mahalia.

Adha.

Hannag.

Waiting only a few seconds after the others, to show his rank, the Shadow Prince knelt.

Slane did not. The Dragon Knight, back in his lizard form, was waiting in the back, his arms crossed. But then, he was no citizen of the Empire. He stood out against the contrast of his subjects, paying him their respect.

He turned back to Mahalia, feeling mixed emotions. Something inside him was so eager to rejoice of the situation with his old friend ; he wanted her to be on his side, to feel what he was feeling. Something else was still trying to decipher the strange sadness he felt at the loss of his mother. Other feelings reminded him of Sadha, his Princess, still lost and faraway ; he had so much to do yet, and he felt he could only be content when finally reunited with her. In the most secret part of his heart, a voice he had always known and dreaded, and old enemy, whispered to him "you are not enough." Even now, it was still here, as he was sure the dreaded voice has whispered to his mother too. And, like her, he would show no sign of it affecting him. He took on his most regal and smug face as he let his subjects kneel and praised him. And turned to Mahalia.

" - My dear friend", he said, taking her by the arm to get her up. He kept his voice low, so that only she could hear him. " - You bow to no one. Stand by me once more. "

" - Always. As I have promised." She smiled, and tried to hide her uneasiness in front of the room.

This got a few sideway looks and puzzles glares, but he felt better with her at his side. It was as if she could clear his mind merely by her presence.

And so the Red Prince was no more, as the Red Emperor stood up in the bathing of the loving sun.


	10. Interlude I Moments in-between

Dear Lohse,

As promised, I have taken back my kingdom and I shall rule once more. Surely you have already heard about my exploits. I expect the tales to be told for generations. Feel free to add some more personal details from your own experience.

One of the various side-effect of this magnificent victory is that I got my claw back on the messages service. This war owl shall find Arx in a better state, I hope. As I do hope you, my friend, is thriving in your new role.

We had some unpredicted troubles on the way to Arx. Nothing too serious, in case you are wondering, but I had to make some detours to destroy a few Voidwokens and unite my armies.

I trust we are not too late to join you. Tomorrow my armies and I take to the sea to join the various leaders of Rivellon in Arx, over to the Council you have prepared all these months.

Be sure that I will not find rest until the Godking and his minions lay dead in their eternal graves.

Oh, do have a look at the back of the parchment. Mahalia asked to write you, too, and I fear she has been far more inspired than she should have.

I'll bring some wine from my old cellar to celebrate our reunion.

Gracefully yours,

The Red Emperor

Lohse,

At least I can write you once more. I hope you're doing okay in Arx. Has Arhu recovered from his wounds ? Do you have any news about the Godking's location ?

Anyway, things got a little out of hand here. I'm sure our common friend wouldn't like me to go into the details, but he's still a noisy, insufferable emperor, so I'll just do what I please. I'll make a long story short for you : we got into the Forbidden City to suffer another trial by none other than the Red Prince's mom, who had taken the throne during his exile. We were betrayed a first time, and then killed, but not really killed since we're still here. We had to make some compromises with old enemies and deals around, we found some unlikely friends, and finally killed the usurper, united the city, repelled a certain amount of Voidwokens, tamed dissidents and avoided a few assassinations, and are now ready to go.

You asked me once if I missed the Ancient Empire, and I said yes. Well, I was wrong. I can't put a claw in a room without being dragged into some intrigue. You think Red was snobbish ? Wait till you find yourself in a room full of courtesans and politics. I cannot even begin to describe it to you. I think some of these courtesans fell for my charm as well, or, more probably, my newfound position of power at the court, as I received a few wedding vows from various nobles across the city. Was it an attempt at wedding me or killing me in my sleep, I still don't know, and I fear the line between lust and assassination is very thin in the Ancient Empire.

Oh, did I tell you ? I became the leader of the House of Dreams. They decided to anoint me. I do not know why. I feel like everyone's special around me, that all of you have some sort of destiny or dark past to resolve - whereas I am quite a banal Godwoken compared to each of you. A commoner, predicting the futures for young teenagers, grown into a Sourcerer and then into a Godwoken... Yet the fates have decided to keep me around. After the crowning of the Red Emperor, the House of Dreams stopped hiding itself and I got in touch with Myrrh, Brahmos's widow. I asked her why they chose me. She said that stories like ours were never truly over, and that I should learn really quickly how to truly master the dreaming. She said I have grown a very powerful lizard, but still ignores much about the worlds. She used very specifically the plural form and tried to teach me how to cross the Horrosleep plane. Long story short, I had to enter into a sort of training with the Dreamers, while the Red Emperor wiped the Voidwokens from his territory and established his dominion.

I do not know yet what to think of it. The Dreamers say there are many dimensions. The Void, where the Eternals come from, is one of them. Then there is Horrorsleep, the plane of nightmares, where even the most evil creatures dare not go. And many more, I suppose. Brahmos had gone there before, though, to create a sanctuary for Sadha and her children. I do not know why Myrrh insist for me to learn this skill, but I tried my best to master it. I still can't do shit, though, to put it in a more forthright way.

I should mention that we had to make deals with an old enemy. The Shadow Prince himself had proven multiple times his interest in our quests, and has insisted to accompany us against the Godking. Visibly, the two of them have some kind of disagreement.

Hannag joined us too, as did Slane.

After pacifying the Empire, we can finally come back to hold up to our promises. I do not envy your place as the Council diplomat, though.

We took to the sea. Malady came back for us. But the Red Emperor preferred to travel in his official ship, as a general, and with his son. They're heavily guarded. We use the pyramids to speak to each other. We also left one in the care of Adha, Sadha's younger sister, back in the Forbidden City. We use it to get back in the capital and see to it that everything is going well.

I am starting to think I should have left one with you. That would have saved us some trouble.

Anyway, Malady is fine. She keeps asking for you. Sometimes I wonder what is going on inside her mind. She talks to me as if I was still her newfound, rescued Godwoken. We have some good chats, here and now, when she's so inclined as to not completely ignore my existence. She is still bickering about me refusing to take over Lucian as the new Divine. She says she needed the help of a very potent friend for something. She does not say what for, though.

Hannag had taken a liking to Malady and Tarquin. Oh, yes, Tarquin is back onto the Lady Vengeance. I fear the feeling is not quite mutual. Malady makes a point every time of reminding the lizard about her death fog invention. Tarquin is more open-minded. I daresay that I fear what two minds like them could create together. I keep an eye on Hannag. She creeps around Malady all the time, she looks at her like she was looking at her next snack. Not in a sexual way, more like a pouncing cat waiting for an opportunity to strike. She wants something from her.

Slane does not spend much time on the ship. He is often gone, in his dragon form, to try and find members of the Black Ring or Voidwokens. He is chasing the Godking's trace. But to no avail for now. Even he cannot find him. We talk a lot. I appreciate him. At least I know he is not going to betray me. He truly acts like a knight.

As for the Shadow Prince, he prowls around the ship as if the place was his, which, I have to say, truly unnerves me. It gets at Malady's nerves, too. Should I be surprised ? It seems as if Tarquin already knew him, and they get along quite fine, spending the days drinking wines and sharing stories in Tarquin's cabin.

As you can guess, I am truly impatient to see this trip come to an end and to get back on business. I spend my time trying to practice the training the Dreamers taught me, and thinking about all we have learned in our journeys. Maybe something will come to mind that could enable me to better understand the Godking. Last time I fought Voidwokens, they talked to me again - but not just to me, to the Shadow Prince as well. Anyway, their voice was different. I think it was that undead's voice - you know, the one you sympathized with at Joy ?

I truly wish the best for you, dear Lohse. Like I said, I sometimes feel so displaced amongst all my company's characters. They seem bound by destiny. Since we have defeated Braccus Rex and Dallis and Lucian, I do not feel this way anymore. Am I missing out on something ?

Has Ifan come back from the elvish lands ? If he did, please extend my affection to him. I miss him.

Oh, please, keep me some human meads on the side when we arrive. I can't stand those stupid wines anymore.

With love,

Mahalia

Dear Red Emperor,

Wow, wow, wow, is that truly your name now ?

You still are sure that you have no first names, like a normal person ?

Can I call you "Red" for short ?

Please do no take this rant seriously or in any official way, I am just messing around.

Glad you could make it and got your home back.

Arx is permanently under attack. Fortunately, with the help of old friends, we managed to put up a fight and we are rebuilding right now. The harbor is safe, though, and the emissaries from the dwarves are already here. As are the elves. We're only waiting for you to round up this Council-thing. Can't wait for it to be over !

Thanks for the wine, do not drink too much of it on the way.

Your Majesty,

Lohse

Mae,

So glad you could write me, I was desperate to hear from you. I have no idea what you mean most of the time in your letter, but I am glad you are okay now, whatever hell you had to cross to make it.

So...head of the House of Dreams ? A mysterious training to walk to an enigmatic dimension ? New allies with dark secrets and unknown plans ? Come on ! This must be fun ! I am sure you are enjoying it more than you pretend.

No news about the Godking. He has never been sighted. We can only pinpoint some of his most trustful minions and lieutenants. But there's an army of them building. They're marching towards Arx. They have destroyed Driftwood already.

Things have been tense here as well. I won't bore you with all the details. Suffice to say that with Adramalikh gone, I thought my torment was over. But then - woosh ! - more demons. It seems like they do not like it when a mortal girl kills one of their elders. I died a little too, but not too badly, so. We're all even in this.

Don't fuss though. Do you remember Jahan ? He decided to stay here to help me deal with the demon infection following me. Arhu is helping me a lot as well. Do you know what ? It's strange, Jahan and Arhu know each other. I have listened - eavesdropped, if I am to be frank - on some of their conversations and they talked about Guardians and about a Godbox. I tried to know more, but Jahan only said that they were old friends reminiscing together of their past adventures.

Of course I looked it up but could not find any mentions of any Guardians or secret box anywhere. I'm still working on Arhu, I feel he's the most talkative of the two of them and I am not gonna give up till I know about this.

Did I mention how cute Jahan is ? I mean, for a mysterious demon hunter who somehow decided to be my personal bodyguard.

Don't tell Malady I said that. And if she is reading it behind your back, just remember that she's the cutest of them all.

I know you have new friends, Chief, and what can I say, you attract them like flies and you can't stay out of trouble for long. Don't ask yourself too many metaphysical questions. I'm sure destiny will fall back on your head again soon enough. Try to enjoy the peace we have for now. Who knows what the future holds in store for two beautiful Godwokens such as us ?

About Ifan, yes, he came back, scruffier than ever, so I'm gonna let it write himself.

And just so you know - things got a bit weird with Saheila and him. I do not know if he's going to tell you himself, so I kind of write that down behind his back. Don't worry too much, though. I don't think it's mutual. But gods, Saheila is so weird. Then, maybe I think so because I tried to kill her at Joy and it's still a bit awkward between us. Or is it because we killed the Mother Tree, and the elves have lost their Prime Scion, and Saheila is a bit crazy somehow since we killed Tir Cendellion ? I'm starting to think maybe we didn't do the right choice for the elves. The dwarves are a little better, at least since Lohar got here. I think they still have not really decided what do do with their government and are intriguing against each other to decide who shall be the new king or you're coming back, I don't know what to do anymore to prevent everyone from killing each other before we all get killed by jealous Eternals seeking their old room back.

Of course I'll save you some beers, I have yet to empty all the local taverns from their riches.

See you soon Chief,

Lohse

Dear one,

I have read your letter. I wish I could be there with you. Anyway, if someone looks at you the wrong say, I can dispose of him if you want to. I can dispose of Hannag anyday. Never liked her. As for the Shadow guy, is he not supposed to be dead ?

Things got a little out of hand with the elves. Not as I have planned. I fear things may get tense between our red friend and them. They have...demands and conditions. But it's the right thing to do.

I thought I could find a way to redeem myself out there. I just hope I am not failing you somehow. I could not stand it.

Hopefully you'll be in town soon, and we can talk more. Don't get too frustrated over politics. You're not one of them. Keep true to yourself and kick all their asses. That's what you do best.

Ifan


	11. Interlude II Lies and truth

" - How long till we make it to Arx ?" asked Mahalia.

She was standing on the bridge of the Lady Vengeance, speaking loudly to Malady, who was standing at the ship's helm.

" - By the Source, Godwoken, how many times are you going to ask me the same questions ?"

" - Come on, it's only the third time today."

" - I swear to all that is unholy, if you do ask me this once more, I'll throw you out the ship and into the ocean to fend for yourself."

"- After all we've been through ? Here I thought we were friends..." Mahalia said, her voice all sugary.

"- Friends don't give up on divinity when it's given to them !" growled Malady back, as she quickly glanced to the shining sun above them. " - As for your question, I'll say a week."

" - Thanks. "

Mahalia left the bridge and the sunny afternoon to get down the ladder leading to the upper deck of the Lady Vengeance, humming to herself, and led herself to Tarquin's cabin. She could hear soft whispering through the door and laugh. Well, at least Tarquin's having fun, she thought. She knocked loudly on the door.

Tarquin came to open it. The human looked elegant as ever, in his black costume, with a tailored hat to go along his black curly hair. His dark eyes shone a little too brightly, though, as did his cheeks with a slight rosy tint. The cabin positively reeked of wine.

" - Godwoken", he saluted her with an unusual warm tone. " - Come on in."

Mahalia took a few steps into the cabin. Tarquin had always favored this part of the ship, which he had decorated with wealth and opulence. She took a quick look at the carpet. It still was burnt and ruined by the Red Prince's child, who had taken a lot of liking to eating various things, including but not limited to art masterpieces and libraries. She smiled at the thought.

" - My dear, it's such a pleasure to see you", greeted the Shadow Prince. He stood at a table where the two of them had began to stack bottles and bottles of wine, enclosing a game of chess. Contrarily to Tarquin, the black-scaled lizard did not seem intoxicated.

Mahalia crossed her arms and leant on the wall, eyeing the scene without making any commentaries. "- Would you care to join us, Mahalia ?" asked Tarquin as he staggered back to his chair. " - We're only starting the afternoon. I find that alcohol inspires me."

"- Thanks, Tarquin, but I'd rather keep my inspiration to myself. And my wits." She turned to the black-scaled lizard. " Actually, I came to steal your guest for myself. Shadow Prince, would you mind indulging me in a conversation ?"

" - Oh", replied Tarquin, looking quickly at her and back at the other lizard. "Oh. I see. Well, I can...leave you here. In my cabin. Which I practically never leave. ", he added, reluctantly.

" - Don't worry, Tarquin, I have my own", she reminded him. " Not as opulent as yours, of course, but still one of the best in the ship. If you care to keep me company, Prince…?" She tried to keep an even tone, though she knew she was going a little too far in the sugary politeness of her sentence. It seemed to please the Shadow Prince, though, as he nodded before getting back to his feet.

" - If it is so eloquently asked for", he said languidly, and gestured to the chess game. " - We'll finish it some other time."

They left a relieved Tarquin to whatever his mind pushed him to experiment, and she led her guest into the ship to her own place. The Lady Vengeance had created for her specifically a secluded room, one that no one could easily find. It was not as wealthy and furnished as Tarquin's, but Mahalia did not care. The goal was mainly to impress the Shadow Prince by surreptitiously reminding him who had power on the ship.

She pressed her hand into the bark of the ship, calling the Lady Vengeance in her mind, and she opened a passage downstairs that was nonexistent before. She gestured for her guest to go first, which he did gracefully.

" - I see you have the elven spirit linked to this vessel at your service", he said. " - How marvelous and resourceful can these elves be."

" - She's not at my service."

" - Oh, yes, I forgot about your touching naivety."

"- And me about your weird obsession for elves."

" - Such a vulgar way to phrase it. I prefer to think of myself as an admirer of their culture. I know a lot of people like you think of me as a harsh character...let us just say that I act this way because I know my enemies. One can admire someone and still know when they need to be controlled."

Mahalia shook her head as she made her way into her room, and gestured for her guest to take place into one of the sofas in the room.

" - Is that what you are doing with us ?"

The Shadow Prince smiled coyly as he sat down, eyeing the room with a spark of interest. " - My dear, isn't it more amusing for us both to leave this question unanswered ? Now, tell me. To what do I owe this invitation ? Our past exchanges have never been desired by your own initiative. Do not hear me wrong. I appreciate that I caught your eyes and your interest enough for you to bring me to your own little secret place, however amateurish the decoration."

Mahalia winced. It was true that she never initiated any contact with the House of Shadows from her own free will. To do so today was mainly because she had decided to persevere and try to yank out some information from the Shadow Prince, however difficult and secretive he was. When she first travelled with the Red Prince, he wasn't easy to go with either, and she had managed in time to pierce through his defenses. She hoped she could do the same here. Surprise and disarm her guest enough to get something out of him. Though she expected nothing more but another pretentious burst of enigmatic nonsense and a headache. Still, it was strange to sit aside from him as if they were acquaintances rather than adversaries. Watching him now, he was almost mondane.

The first time she met him, she found he was regal in his elegant armor and his demeanor, with his suave voice and manners. Yes, he appeared magnificent and had an air of danger around him. The second time she met him, he was less impressive already, as she figured she had fought through worse. He still maintained his drawling voice and precise gesture, and she could admit she was drawn into whatever he was saying mainly because of the pleasant and captivating sonority of his voice. It was all the more troubling because she suspected that he was so musically-inclined to capture his slave's attention, as well as that of his public, and it was working.

Mahalia herself was often pictured as a silver-tongue lizard, so she could analyse in her mind the way the Shadow Prince purposefully adapted his speech for her and for another, the way he chose to let some words drawl and not other, or the way he weaved his hands to lure her gaze and attention while he tried to implement an idea in her head. She could rationally see all of this manipulative behavior and still couldn't help but have her interest piqued by him every time he spoke. He was more proficient in the art of eloquence than she was. She'd have to keep her wits for herself and weight everything he said. Someone like that was better kept at bay, but since he was still following them along, she had to take the risk of approaching him and understanding how he worked.

" - I grew tired of having so many questions in my head while in the meantime having a master of spies and secrets wandering my ship aimlessly and drunkenly around. I figured maybe I could overcome the slight feeling of unease you inspire me and try to have an actual conversation. What do you say ? "

At that, the black-scaled lizard erupted in a soft, low laughter. " - Oh, my ! You certainly grew quite sure of yourself, didn't you ?. "Have an actual conversation." Why ? Are you ready to listen to me this time ? " he mused.

Mahalia refrained her annoyance, knowing that he only acted this way to provoke her and cut free of the exchange. He was merely testing her. She needed to make him understand that in a way, she was testing him too.

" - Because, 'my dear'," she said slowly, composing her face " I need to know if I should keep you around or discard you as irrelevant."

The Shadow Prince opened his mouth to reply, his gaze unreadable as usual, but she did not let him speak :

"- You came to me, first in Arx, then in the Forbidden City. When you first contacted me, you presented yourself as a sort of advisor. You have taken up that role for yourself by revealing the existence of your House publicly and showing your support for the new emperor. But still, one question remains on my mind. If you desire to be such a man - an advisor for the Empire - then why not advise ? Why not talk ? Of course", she added in a soft voice, " that would mean treating us as equals, or at least pretending to. And, eventually, consider having conversations with me. Conversations where I ask questions, and where you give me answers. It is quite simple really. I hear people do it all the time."

She laid back on her sofa, raising an eyebrow at her guest. He had closed his mouth and was watching her as he usually did, with no trace of emotions or interest. But she could see the gears of his mind clicking together in his eyes, as he weighed his answers carefully to pick the one that would benefit him the most.

" - Fine," he finally said. " - Go on, ask your questions."

Well, that went better than expected. At this point, Mahalia had thought that the exchange would get stuck into another squabble. She tried to change her point of view of the Shadow Prince. He had been an adversary for so long that she could not see him as anything else but a threat. Yet she needed to change that, because she didn't need a threat like that at her side. She needed a more solid ally, and she would have to make the first step and hope for the best.

" - What is your quarrel with the Godking ?" she asked.

" - He tried to enlist my House to his side. That was when I was busy hunting Sadha down, and she had Sworn herself to him. My response was utterly negative. I have no wish to serve an entity from the Void and to bring it to Rivellon and ultimately to the Empire. I killed a few of his favorite lieutenants, just to make sure he got the message, as I pointed you to take care of the Sallow Man to do the heavy work for me. And yes, I stole something important from him. Or rather someone. "

" - And I suppose you are not going to tell me about it ?"

" - No, I am not. Do you have any other questions ?"

" - Yes. How old are you ?"

" - My, my, how personal this all turns out to be", his lips stretched in a cold smile. " - Are you taking an interest in me ? "

" - Merely trying to seize you better", she corrected, unwavering despite the mockery.

" - A few centuries old. Many centuries old. Eras, perhaps. And, yes, since I can guess very well what led this exquisite head of yours to this very question, I'll spare you other tedious questioning. I was alive during the old Empire days. I saw what our race used to be from my very eyes. I used to be one myself. A dragon, if I wasn't clear enough. Such a beautiful Empire we had. And I was the one meant to rule it all. "

He paused, and waited for her to comment, but Mahalia had no idea what to say. His behavior had somehow hinted at this, but it didn't make the character much more understandable. She did not know either why he chose to speak so plainly now. Moreover, she could not comprehend just how old he truly was or how he survived until now. She had fought him before ; sure, he was an impressive opponent, but not an invincible one. She struggled with anything to say, but fortunately her guest got amused with her trouble and cut her :

" - I see you are perplexed. Who would not be ? Yes, yes, I admit, I am a relic from times old gone in Rivellon. When lizards were dragons, and preyed upon their neighbors. Elves, humans, dwarves, they were all cattle to be seized and devoured. We were overgrown, too ambitious and feral. Zorl-Stissa made us this way. But it caused chaos, and, ultimately, you know the story - she had to change us, to transform us, so the other races would not unite against us and kill us." The black-scaled lizard tilted his head back on the seat of the sofa and stared at the ceiling, before going on, in a more distant tone :

"- This is just how it is, Mahalia. Rivellon is a delicate balance of chaos and power. There is always the power-hungry ones to come and unbalance the very fragile harmony of the world. Our world merely oscillates between the fury unleashed by the powerful, and the calm after the storm emerging from their fall. My job is merely to divide the power so that there is still a world to speak of. In times, all heroes fall. In time, there is no right or wrong. Only the question : what does it take to all keep it spinning in a controlled way, and not erupt into utter chaos ?"

" - I...do not know what to say. I am surprised you tell me this much. " She replied, slightly unbalanced by this revelation and the sudden burst of eloquence from her guest. She was trying to keep him busy talking while she analysed what he decided to say to her.

He smiled. " - Do not be flattered, my dear. I am only telling you all that because I know where you end. You may not be blessed with sweet prophecy, but I can see your future as plain as if it was written on your forehead."

Surprisingly, the black-scaled lizard got up on his feet and in a swift movement, was leaning over her, brushing her cheek with the back of his claw. Mahalia's heart skipped a beat for a second as she believed he had managed to cross her defenses and would kill her, and she felt a rush of adrenaline through her nerves. But there was no dagger, other than his piercing eyes and the strange, tender caress, which was so surprising that she had no idea how to react. Out of instinct, she backed away a little, but this only gave her guest more room to lean in.

" - Hush-hush, my dear, I will not be the one to harm you."

" - What do you mean ?" she said, slowly brushing his claw away and trying to maintain her composure, even though the proximity of the lizard and his familiarity sparked something rageful and strangely seductive in her mind. But she supposed the two passions were intrinsically weaved together, and purposefully sparked by him.

" - What does it take to keep it all under control ? A sacrifice." He let her brush him away, and slid behind her, leaning in to whisper to her ear. " - A sacrifice you should have made when the Divine asked you to give up your Source. On an individual scale, such a price is so high to pay - no one would want to give up their life or their loved ones lives so easily. On a more collective scale, though, it would have been the right call. It would have spared everyone else from the grasp of the void. "

Mahalia leapt out of her sofa to confront the Shadow Prince, her voice dry.

" - How do you even know about that ? You weren't here !"

" - I just know. It is what I do : know the little secrets people rather keep to themselves. And you have quite a few of your own collection."

" - How hypocrite you are", she said, now reeling with anger. She was losing the direction of the conversation and she knew it. " - To lecture me about morality while all you say is smoke and mirrors, lies and false pretenses to cover up your own deeds."

He tilted his head to the side, pretending to be hurt, and drew his claws to his heart. " - True, I'll admit. Oh, I am sorry. I did not realize that would bother you so much. I was under the impression you were trying to seize me up. Others have tried before you. One did succeed. Sadly, I had to kill her. My dear Sebille. " He laid his claws on the seat of the sofa she occupied, and hummed for himself a few notes of a song, unknown to her.

" - Ah, and here we go back to the maniac nonsense. Such a typical conversation. If this idiotic whimsical temper is going to be the one you adopt everytime we talk, then you can leave. "

" - Such is true about you as well, my dear. What is it ? Does truth frightens you ? There is no shame in that. Truth frightens everyone. Or is it me, perchance ? That would be a pity. I have other inclinations towards you myself. Have I been nothing else but caring towards you, Godwoken ? Have I not preserve you and your friends, however annoying they were ?" he asked in a dramatic tone. "- Have I not revealed to you what you needed to know ? Our only conflit was weaved around the fate of Sadha, and if you had to be truly honest to yourself, wasn't I right to presume she had links to the Black Ring ? Look at me, Mahalia. When did I ever lie to you ? And, shall I add, who is truly hypocrite in this room, except for you ? I am not the one lying to myself here. You are."

He kept smiling, enjoying her troubled expression as she tried to decipher what she was truly feeling and what she should say next. But he gave her no time to reflect and adapt her behavior. Somehow, he was right. He had used them before, to achieve his goals, but had always told them at least a part of what he knew. He added, in a softer tone : " Anyway, the reason I am telling you all this and answer your question is simple. I know you're going to die. So I am not taking much of a risk. Plus, Rivellon is drastically changing and I have to change my plan for myself as well. "

" - I am not planning on dying anytime soon."

" - Like I said, saving the world requires sacrifice, and you still have to make yours. You avoided it in Arx, but it is still meant to be. It is not as if you have any legacy to distract you from your heroic deeds. No family, no children. No redemption to achieve, or madness to descend into. I can see you now, breathing in front of me, and I clearly know you are already dead. The question is not "if" but "when.""

" - Nonsense. You are bluffing. " She tensed, feeling both nervous and enraged at herself for letting the reins of the conversation slide from her.

" - If I were you, I would take advantage of what little time I have left. This is one of my many advises,as you required. As for myself, I have all the time in the world - which makes me quite fascinated with ephemeral creatures like yourself. How fascinating and vain you are. "

" - Let us focus on yourself, my dear. Why do you have all the time in the world ?" she asked, trying to gain back the rails of the conversation in her hands, though she felt she had lost control.

" - A long time ago, I used to be like your friend. I was a prince. I was the heir of a prophecy. I was to wed a Princess. I was to rule it all. The old Empire. " His eyes grew blank for a little time. "- But my destiny was never fulfilled. I sacrificed it all because I understood how dangerous it would be. More accurately, I killed her. And as I killed my princess, she cursed me. The curses of a dying lover's lips, engulfed with the power of prophecies left unaccomplished, can have quite a potent power, I fear.

At first I believed I would turn crazy, as feelings, passions and desires turned to ashes in my mouth, as all around me died, as I was left alone to rule over nothing.

But I have found a fitting place, as the prophecy turned in little circles times and times again, as I interrupted it and prevented it. Until you came along. "

" - Wow. It is a...crazy story." She frowned. " - Are you trying to tell me this prophecy happened before ?"

" - Times and times again. I killed them all before, though. And I daresay it was kindness on my behalf. I prevented the world from another surge of dragons. And I prevented them from the inevitable heartbreak such fools would endure. Love is such a fool errand. Poets always say the world would be saved by love...but I know of a different tale. I finally failed in my task, though. He was the one to succeed. The Red Prince. " He paused, his distaste visible, as if he had eaten something sour.

" - Are you...envious of him ?"

" - As one should be upon seeing another fulfill what was meant to be mine."

" - Do you regret what you did ?"

" - Regret is a vulgar feeling for the weak-minded. If I had to do it again, I would. Were we to travel through time, even knowing how the Red Prince would turn out to be, I'd still try to murder him. For now he is under control. No one can predict for how long. Like I said, - and this an advise as well - never let anyone gain so much power. You, Mahalia, killed the Mother Tree." He pointed his finger at her. "- Yet you spared your Emperor friend. Was that fair ? Did you think about the equilibrium you destroyed ? You think you did the right thing, because for now every race is busy fighting against the Godking, and this will give you the illusion of peace. But I know oh so well how this illusion is short-lived termed."

She made a step forward, beginning to pace into the room as she was reflecting. " - And if you are wrong ?"

" - I am never wrong."

" - You could be. You were wrong about Sadha and the Emperor. You thought they would be too absorbed in their idea of grandeur and would conquer the world. They do not plan to do it. They are working to defend Rivellon. He even left his chance at becoming a god pass by ! "

" - For now."

" - I think you hate him this much because deep down, you know you made the wrong call. Either you killed your princess for nothing - it didn't stop the prophecy from coming true, for another man. Or you killed her for a reason - you are right, and the Prince is a born conqueror and destroyer. And so you killed her because you were afraid of yourself and what you were capable of. Either way, you lost her and it amounts to nothing : the results are that you are either incapable of honoring her sacrifice, or that you were the monster all along and failed to sacrifice the right one - which was you."

The Shadow Prince tensed as displease washed over his expression. " - Yes, Mahalia. However difficult it is to confess, it is true. I am not going to hide it. Which should only prove to you how dedicated I am to the Empire. Knowing all of this - I still kept the Red Prince alive and helped him to rule. I understand that the time of the House of Shadows is nearly over. Like I said, I am but a relic of an older world. I have nothing left but to trust the future of the Empire in between his hands, and hope that his journey with you has changed him enough that he will be capable of protecting the realm. He is intelligent enough to match me, I'll concede that to him. "

" - Why do you speak as if you were going to disappear ? You have lived through all this time...I don't even know how, actually."

"- I am a creature from the past. This gives me some good insight into how things will end. For you - and for me. As to how I managed to live until now…this is a story for another time, I suppose. I feel like I have answered many questions of yours."

" - And still leave me with more."

" - Then you shall have to visit me again", he said with a seductive smile that Mahalia could not pretend to have missed. Well, she would have to react on that, but was at a loss right now.

" - I can only hope that our future discussion gets a little bit clearer to decipher." She settled for that and looked him dead in the eye.

" - As do I. Before I take my leave and let you muse over all the little things I told you, would you mind answering a question of my own, dear ?"

She gestured for him to keep going, knowing his politeness was just a game and an illusion, as he intended full well to go through whatever he had in mind.

" - Do you still think I am lying ?"

She thought "yes" as her mouth opened to say "no". It was so instinctive that she was surprised by it. She had to take a few seconds to really think about it.

Was he lying ? Probably. Sometimes. Was he telling the truth ? In some parts, probably as well. It was too hard for her to truly know. What he confessed to her was so beyond her imagination and experience that she had no way of knowing. As if reading her mind, he added :

" - What do you feel ?"

Every instinct in her told her he was trying to get around her mind to manipulate her. And so she said :

" - I feel that you're a liar."

He whistled in fake surprise. " - And what do the mind say ?"

" - That you are using the truth to make me doubt myself."

He paused, contemplating her answer. " - Then maybe you seized me up better than I expected.", he conceded. " But you should be doubting yourself. Do you think you are telling the truth ?"

She replied without thinking. " - Of course."

" - Whereas I know you don't. You accuse me of trying to get in your pretty head - while, per your own words, you try to "seize me up", and, if you had to be completely honest with yourself...you could just say you are trying to get into my own head. And how is it working for you, I wonder ? "

" - I would not have put it that way."

" - You can phrase it as you wish, this is what it is." He made a step towards her, and extended his claw to her in the same tender movement he had before. " - Don't take it the wrong way. I would do the same in your place. As I have always done." He smiled as she made no move to give him her claw, and retreated to the door.

" - It was nice to have a chat."

" - Let us continue this another time", she replied blankly.

" - Of course. It is a pleasant way to pass the time."

She waited for him to be out of the room to sit back down on the sofa, crossing her arms around her chest, and glaring at the wall.

If he had truly wish to get into her head, then he had succeeded. She had so many questions, and no idea where to start.


End file.
